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Removal of plate and screws from tibia fracture
Bones, Joints & Muscles | Last Active: Sep 8 10:36am | Replies (83)Comment receiving replies
In 2014, I jumped off a catamaran in Hawaii onto the beach and my right foot landed first. I got what they call a “distal tibia fracture” which is a diagonal break of the large shin bone and it was just above the ankle joint. My ankle was dislocated but it was reset and the joint was clean. I flew home to NC and had surgery within the week where I was fixed with 19 screws and 2 plates. I was about 30 years old so now I’m 38 and I am active in martial arts and athletic. I run every day and I spar and kick people a lot with that leg and foot. But it hurts with normal use. There is a throbbing inflammation feeling I have on a regular basis that is in the soft tissue and the bone. As a carpenter I remember seeing the X-rays of my surgery for the first time and exclaiming “where’s the screwing pattern??” Every screw is angled and in a different direction and I can feel that fact when I walk too long or have a long day on my feet. It has never “gotten worse” because pretty much from day one (when I started walking again a year after my surgery) it has been the same easy pain and throbbing soreness. I made an initial request with the same surgeon at mission hospital about removing the hardware and he said “oh I wouldn’t do that” when he had initially said “it can be removed later of course...” he felt uneasy I think about tissue healing between scars or something. I understand, but I also am annoyed that he spoke out of both sides of his mouth. I am now kind of afraid I may never get to take it out and would love to hear if anyone has a similar experience but has removed so long after surgery (8-9 years?) with a lessening of pain. Also what does that cost? I’m in at least all three kinds of pain which plates and screws can cause that I’ve read about (local soreness, sub-skin irritation from metal rubbing, and bone and joint throbbing) and I would love to finally recover once and for all. I feel like keeping it can only get worse with age and arthritic pain in the joints is already starting. I already feel at night like my lymphatic system is on overload in my knee and hip on that side (not to mention my constant battle with crazy spine alignment from subliminal compensation over the years). Anyone please help!
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@sarxweh Have you considered getting a different surgeon's opinion about hardware removal? Perhaps a spine specialist evaluation in conjunction with a referral to an orthopedic surgeon about the hardware would help. A person can develop scoliosis later in life and if your spine alignment is changing, you may want to see what you can do to keep that from getting worse. Years of misalignment and gravity affecting the spine can lead to problems down the road. I am a cervical spine surgery patient and last year, I broke my ankle and became the owner of 2 titanium plates and 7 screws. I had the same throbbing pains you describe and I always felt like I was getting kicked in the ankle. My asthma got worse too and I had chronic hives and had to stay on antihistamines all the time or it came back.
As I write this now, I'm waiting while my incisions heal enough to take out the stitches. I had my hardware removed and instantly the bone pain was gone and my lungs have cleared from the excess phlegm, and there are no hives to be found. I still have pain from the incision, and I have some swelling affecting the joint, but this is not even close to the discomfort I had after the original surgeries for the fractures. This was not a hard surgery to remove the plates and screws and it did not affect my ability to bear weight. I limp a little because of the stiffness and inflammation from surgery 2 weeks ago. One thing to consider is when the hardware is removed, there are holes left by the screw tracks which will put you at risk of a new fracture. My surgeon advised no strenuous activity for at least 6 weeks. My surgeon also commented about there being little bony overgrowth of the hardware after 16 months. After 8 years, your situation could involve bone overgrowth of the hardware which would make removing it harder. It is worth finding out with a consult and some X-rays. If you do have hardware removed, it may take you a much longer time for recovery until your leg would be strong enough to participate in martial arts. You may need some rehab and strengthening while the bone fills in the spaces left by the hardware.
Please don't let your surgeon's attitude scare you. Just find another surgeon you trust to get an expert opinion for your care. Your surgeon is evaluating his risk of doing a procedure he is uncomfortable with. He doesn't want a bad rating of his skills that would affect his statistics of success. It may have nothing to do with you.
Can you explain more about what your crazy battle with spine alignment is about? Are you being treated for this and is there a diagnosis of an issue with your spine?