I had a comminuted spiral fracture of the right tibia/fibula back in 2005. It damaged my tendons and muscles in my lower leg and I suffered nerve damage when they cut a significant nerve branch along the front of my leg near the ankle. I have lived in pain every day since then, I am in a pain management program (which now with the opioid crisis is a nightmare) and I am talking with the pain management doctor about possibly removing the plates. I have two - a twelve inch plate on the tibia and a 6 inch plate on the fibula with a 4 inch piece of cadaver bone to replace the bones that were too badly damaged to be repaired.

I never thought about having them removed because I thought insurance wouldn't cover it. The cautionary tale on this is that my leg would be as if I just broke it again with the holes through the bones,etc. What are the percentages for someone like me to have the pain reduced or gone so I am not taking opioids? Is it worth the 3 months of down time (guestimate based on the recovery from before)? I know the nerve damage is permanent but that's the least of my issues. Has anyone had their insurance company fight the surgery?