1. < Bones, Joints & Muscles

Hardware removal after tibial plateau fracture (tpf)

Posted by rileydog @rileydog, Oct 6, 2017

I am looking for others that have had experience with hardware removal after a tibial plateau fracture. I had my surgery in March of 2016 and am still experiencing discomfort from the hardware (plate and six screws) and am considering having mine removed. Would love to hear of your experience.

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Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Mar 5 2:41pm
In reply to @vm1987 "I know this is an old post, but.. I had a level 6 bicondular tibial plateau..." + (show)
@vm1987

I know this is an old post, but.. I had a level 6 bicondular tibial plateau fracture February of 2023. 4 plates and 20 screws. I am thinking of getting my hardware removed due to constant pain. Reading through the comments; I decided I'm going forward with the removal. I need my life back and I hope to get the relief you've all experienced from hardware removal. Thank you all for sharing.

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@vm1987 Welcome to Connect. You do have a lot of hardware. I had a bad fracture at the ankle end of the tibia also involving the fibula and I had my hardware removed. I have a lot less pain now, but also I have pain related to scar tissue that adhered to the bones, so I work on that and use some techniques from myofascial release. I had started out with an external cage (fixator) screwed into the front of the tibia and the sides of the heel bone and these are points of scar attachment. When you have hardware removed, it will increase the fracture risk for awhile because of all the holes left, but those will fill in and heal. There is a recovery period, but it will not be as bad as the initial fracture recovery.

Jennifer

REPLY
igl | @igl | Mar 6 8:43pm

March 2001, I fell off a ladder and suffered tibia plateau fracture. My x-ray looked very similar to yours. So painful!!! MANY months of PT to be able to walk again. Summer 2022, hardware removed gave a little relief. Fall 2022, finally, practically pain free after total knee replacement and PT AGAIN! Dr. said most need TKR after TPF, but mine came sooner rather than later. Thank goodness, it made such a difference!!! I take Celebrex for inflammation now. If I don't do PT I notice a little pain creeping back. But it's tolerable, compared to the two years I suffered after the fall. I understand where you're coming from when you say I need my life back. My husband told my surgeon he saved our life. I think he's just happy he doesn't have to wait on me anymore. lol Iva

REPLY
majedsalah | @majedsalah | Apr 21 3:58pm
In reply to @rlwilliams "Hi, I was wondering if you ever had your hardware removed. My tibial plateau fracture surgery..." + (show)
@rlwilliams

Hi, I was wondering if you ever had your hardware removed. My tibial plateau fracture surgery was one year ago. I have 14 screws and two plates and still feel pain when I walk. My doctor says it’s probably not the hardware but the x-ray shows the the bone healed just fine! I also feel the tightness around my knee, feeling, like you said, a tight ace bandage. Doc said it must be scar tissue (?). He has no answer as to why I’m still feeling pain...

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I have the same situation, not sure if I really need to remove the plates and screws , I am still feel the pain as do you feel

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