Opinions please...on having hardware removed after broken bone healed

[SueInBoston]

I fell and broke my ankle in 2 places last September, it has healed very well according to my surgeon. I'm still doing PT and walking without any aid. I don't have much pain except when I walk for long distance (about a mile) then I have discomfort. So all in all I'm happy with my progress.....

However, I have 2 plates and about 9 screws in my ankle and when the weather turns (rain, cold, snow), my ankle aches all the way up to my thigh, it is this dull ache that is miserable. The pain is caused by barometric change from the weather. A colleague talked about how she had her hardware removed and the ache went away, but she was in her 20's at that time. I'm 56 but the thought living with this weather/cold related ache for the rest of my life is not appealing at all. I live in New England so cold weather is a regular occurrence.

I go back for a follow up with my surgeon next month, I want to do research so i'm prepared to discuss with him about the removal. I know it's another surgery and recovery and that worries me but this awful ache is PITA.

If you have experience or know someone close that have had hardware removed, can you please share your experience?

TIA

 

[Christine]

Not someone close but my coworker had a severe break in her lower leg/ankle about 8 years ago. It's never really been great and she's had the same issues you had. Then this past winter, she got a staph infection on the 8 year old scar. They had to open her up and clean it out and they removed most of her hardware. She's still healing so I don't know if it's better. I know they can remove things but they usually don't unless you have chronic issues.

I do think it's a good questions to ask on your next visit.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

20 years ago I broke my ankle, pins and plates, just like you. I was 29 at the time. About 2 years later I had the hardware removed for similar reasons as you are dealing with, plus I have never done well with metal "in" my skin, can't wear pierced earings of any kind without my ears turning red and crusty. The recovery from the removal was nothing compared to the original break. I think i was weight bearing within the week and no cast. 20 years later it still aches when the weather changes but not near as bad as what is was with the metal. I highly recommend removing the metal.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I’m surprised they haven’t already discussed removing it with you. My mother broke her ankle and leg a couple years ago and once she healed the orthopedic surgeon suggested the hardware come out so it wouldn’t cause issues like this and inhibit her range of motion. Same thing happened with my brother when he broke his wrist. Hardware came out as soon as the break was fully healed.

 

[monsterkitty]

I had my hardware removed in my ankle. It's still a barometric pressure gage even without the hardware.

 

[barkley]

It's still a barometric pressure gage even without the hardware.

i'm told it's an issue with any kind of injury/condition prone to arthritis. i have scoliosis that didn't bother me for decades-now in my late 50's it's a barometer. injured my knee about 5 years ago (no metal repairs but surgery)-barometer. had major jaw surgery over 30 years ago-still have metal in multiple places-no pain at all.

 

[Mrs.Milo]

I had tendon repair surgery on my foot, top inside. To keep me from re-injuring the tendon, a small hardware piece was placed just under my ankle on the opposite side of my foot, so it couldn’t “roll”. The tendon repair was great, no more pain. But occasionally the hardware would hit a nerve or Something and was a horrible pain. When it hadn’t settle down after a year, I had the hardware removed, happy I did, 10 years later everything still fine.

 

[AgentMama]

I have a very old tib/fib fracture (almost 20 years old) and still have the hardware (rods and screws) in my leg. Yes it bothers me during bad weather, but I'm fully functional on it and didn't want to go through another surgery to remove everything.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

My daughter had a similar fracture and repair when she was 16. She’s 22 now and never had the hardware removed. She’s relatively active, plays volleyball and softball year round recreationally, and her ankle does give her some trouble after a long day of exertion. She lives in Orlando now so she doesn’t have to deal with the cold, but I think she’s going to need to have the hardware removed at some point. Her doctor suggested removal after her original injury healed, but she didn’t want to undergo surgery again so soon.

 

[SueInBoston]

Just want to give an update, I had the hardware removed last week. Surgery was Wednesday morning, immediate weight bearing. I went back to the dr office on Thursday by myself with a cane via uber because the dressing needed to be changed and I didn't have any supplies. I was walking without aid on Friday. Go back next week for follow up, I'm very glad I had the stuff removed, the recovery is really no big deal.

 

[DVCjj]

Interesting post. I've had your EXACT surgery (2 plates, 9 nails) except for 2 additional screws 4 years ago. Most of the time all is good. But sometimes the hardware on the inner side (has the additional screws) drives me crazy and I apply China Gel and an ankle support bandage (which definitely helps).

I live in the frigid Midwest and that ankle hurts and throbs in the cold and damp weather. I never have any trouble in Disney world (warm/humid) and can walk 10 miles a day for 6 days without a problem.

I've been back to the Ortho Surgeon 3 times and he says the only solution is getting the hardware out. I asked about ONLY removing the side that's the problem and he said he would only remove it all and due to my age (over 60), "don't expect perfection".

Due to the fact there are now HOLES from the nails/screws all over that won't 'fill in' well due to age, that ankle will be weaker and susceptible to more easily breakage. I said no thank you and will continue to massage with China Gel and an ankle bandage when it bothers me. And ibuprofen.

I've decided not to trade one problem for a bigger problem.
Oh, and he said to expect arthritis, which already might be rearing its ugly head. More surgery will exaggerate it.

 

[Suger Mag]

I had a ankle fracture (tib-fib combo), did a thing on the ice about 20 years ago... broke the fibula and dislocated the tibia. Surgical fix. Still have a plate with screws (7 I think) on the fib, had the screw holding the tibia in place removed about 8 weeks post fracture. A year or two after the fracture I went to the doc about getting the plate removed, much of the same reasons you explained... it is a weather ankle... aches whenever the weather/temp changes, it makes ski boots uncomfortable, it is cranky when I run. The doc explained the surgery to remove would be hard to do, traumatic to the bone etc. so I elected to live with it. The good news is does get better, I still have occasional aches and pains there, prolly always will, but it has been 20 years and it is not as sensitive as it was in the first couple of years post fracture.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I'm dealing with a fractured humerus bone right now (upper arm), with a metal rod and screws. It was great not needing a cast, and I'm doing the exercises laid out by my surgeon and I guess it's helping but who knows? He says that I will need to keep the rod in to prevent further damage, but after reading the posts here, I wonder. The humerus is notorious for not healing well, and I broke it clean in half, so my recovery time is up in the air. It's been nearly two months and it's still broken and I'm still having daily pain. I haven't noticed any pain changes with the weather because I'm in pain all the time. I have some good range of movement, but there are simple things I just cannot do and that's what's so frustrating.

I'm not really contributing anything to this post, but I just got yelled at for making "excuses" for not being able to operate the can opener. I got called "lazy" and accused of slacking off. So I went upstairs and cried and now I'm p.o.'d that someone made me cry. So I'm just venting. Please do ignore.

 

[SueInBoston]

I'm not really contributing anything to this post, but I just got yelled at for making "excuses" for not being able to operate the can opener. I got called "lazy" and accused of slacking off. So I went upstairs and cried and now I'm p.o.'d that someone made me cry. So I'm just venting. Please do ignore.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

I'm dealing with a fractured humerus bone right now (upper arm), with a metal rod and screws. It was great not needing a cast, and I'm doing the exercises laid out by my surgeon and I guess it's helping but who knows? He says that I will need to keep the rod in to prevent further damage, but after reading the posts here, I wonder. The humerus is notorious for not healing well, and I broke it clean in half, so my recovery time is up in the air. It's been nearly two months and it's still broken and I'm still having daily pain. I haven't noticed any pain changes with the weather because I'm in pain all the time. I have some good range of movement, but there are simple things I just cannot do and that's what's so frustrating.

I'm not really contributing anything to this post, but I just got yelled at for making "excuses" for not being able to operate the can opener. I got called "lazy" and accused of slacking off. So I went upstairs and cried and now I'm p.o.'d that someone made me cry. So I'm just venting. Please do ignore.

Send whoever was giving you grief this way, I suspect a few of us would like to "educate" them on the healing process for broken bones. On a similar note, when I broke my tib/fib almost 20 years ago my dad figured that since bones don't have nerves they shouldn't hurt.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Send whoever was giving you grief this way, I suspect a few of us would like to "educate" them on the healing process for broken bones. On a similar note, when I broke my tib/fib almost 20 years ago my dad figured that since bones don't have nerves they shouldn't hurt.

Thank you-I suspect that my family are not taking me seriously because I'm not in a cast. I feel better tonight, hate crying but I think it helped.