Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Anybody had metalwork removed after a fracture? Ankles in particular..

33 replies

mawbroon · 23/10/2010 16:21

I broke my ankle in January and have got a 73mm plate up the outside with 6 screws, and two long screws on the inside.

The screws on the outside are visible under my skin and the first three stick out quite far. The ortho consultant agreed that it would be best if they came out, so I have a date for the surgery in a couple of weeks time.

Has anyone had this done? The consultant was very nonchelant about it, almost as if I was just getting my toenails trimmed or something, and told me there wouldn't be more than a couple of days of pain. I find this hard to believe, but hey, he's the consultant!!

Can anyone share their experience? Both good and bad please. Smile

OP posts:
CMOTdibbler · 23/10/2010 16:32

not screws, but I had a 5 cm wire pulled out of my wrist bones a week ago after it had been in there for 8 weeks - no anaesthetic, and it did only hurt while it came out. So it is quite probable that you will only have pain from the incision they make to remove them

Original poster
mawbroon · 23/10/2010 16:44

Oh, that gave me the heebie geebies reading that CMOT!! Glad to hear there was no pain afterwards. He did say it would only be sore from the incisions and nowhere near as bad as the original op. The incisions will be a fair size though (well, IMO anyway! They are probably clinically classed as tiny Smile) Presume they will staple them like they did originally.

OP posts:
saggarmakersbottomknocker · 23/10/2010 16:52

mawbroon - my dd had some metalwork (5 screws) removed from above and below her knee. They'd been in just short of two years and were removed through the original incisions. She didn't suffer from as much pain as when they went in but was on crutches for a couple of weeks. She had a bit of an issue as they tweaked a nerve during removal of one particularly difficult screw which made part of her foot numb. There was a period where she had to be very careful with it until the bone filled the gaps left by the screws.

CMOTdibbler · 23/10/2010 16:53

It was a nasty moment as he came at me with the pliers I can tell you.

Actually, I had an external fixator bolted on before my definitive surgery, and where that was screwed in, well above my injury zone, wasn't painful after removal either.

Will they really do a big incision ? i'd have thought they could have done a couple of small ones and just move the tissues around to get to the screws

Original poster
mawbroon · 23/10/2010 17:47

I've no idea what they will do tbh, just guessing. The original incision on the side where the plate is is around 10cm long. The plate is coming out too, so I am guessing they will just open it up again. The one on the inside is only about 5cm long as there are only a couple of screws in there.

saggarmakersbottomknocker - that's exactly the kind of thing I am wondering. Will I need to keep my weight off it, or will I be able to walk straight away. I guess I will just have to wait and see. I was in getting pre op stuff done the other day, and was told that it was all up to the surgeon and I would find out on the day. Really useful for trying to organise stuff if I have no idea what state I am going to be in afterwards...

OP posts:
Pandsbear · 23/10/2010 20:19

I had what was supposed to be a permanant screw taken out of my foot as it had 'moved' and was sticking out and visible and kept catching on shoes (yuk).

It was taken out under a local and I had an incision made, then quite a lot of tugging and wrenching as the consultant pulled the screw out. Was slightly sore around the wound for a couple of days and I was advised to rest but apart from that it was all ok.

Thinking about it was worse than what actually happened!

Original poster
mawbroon · 23/10/2010 21:52

Oh yes, definitely yuk at it catching on shoes Pandsbear. The lowest screw on the outside catches on some of my shoes and socks, so I have taken to wearing walking type shoes that are sort of cut away at the ankle, and I can't wear boots.

Your story is consistent with what the consultant is telling me, so perhaps I should just believe him Smile

OP posts:
Milliways · 23/10/2010 22:11

I would say take them out while they can get at them easily.

I have had several operations, and the worst by far was removing plates & screws from my femurs, that had been in over 9 years and were deeply embedded (I was 7 when the were inserted & 16 when they were removed).

If you think that there is any chance you may want them out in the future then take them out now!

Original poster
mawbroon · 24/10/2010 08:06

Deffo getting them out just now Milliways. I have to sleep with a pillow under my leg as they are too sore to rest on the bed, and I can't sit with them tucked under, and sitting on the floor is tricky, so they need to go.

I guess I will be able to have better painkillers this time. I was pregnant with ds2 when I broke my ankle, so after the op I was allowed paracetemol and the occasional dihydrocodeine, but not too many in case ds2 got addicted! I did get two or three shots of morphine in the hospital as well because I couldn't cope with the pain on paracetemol LOL.

OP posts:
Original poster
mawbroon · 24/10/2010 20:52

Bump. Anyone else?

OP posts:
Original poster
mawbroon · 25/10/2010 21:12

One last bump Smile

OP posts:
alypaly · 26/10/2010 11:21

mawbroom.....i have a 10 cm plate in my ankle,one on the top of my foot on the bone from my big toe to my ankle. That one digs in most pairs of shoes that are low at the front and i can feel the screws. I also have a screw holdine my big toe in place and my second metatarsal.

Like you, i can feel the screw heads in my leg and occasionally they really hurt when i go skiing. Sometimes the muscle or ligament that is on top rubs and swells and it drives me nuts when i am skiing.

My consultant said he didnt want to take them out if they werent causing problems as there is a small chance of a bone infection as there is in all operations.

He said they put an incision at one end of the plate and over each screw and then they slide it out. I believe it is a minor op.

I would like the one out on top of my foot as it affects which footwear i can choose but i am worried it will affect the feeling in my foot more. I have had a feeling of a dental injection in my foot and big toe since the op and it is really unpleasant.

Original poster
mawbroon · 26/10/2010 14:09

Yikes alypaly - that sounds like one heck of an injury you had! How long ago did you do it? I have a cs scar and it was numb like you describe for a couple of years.

I understand there is a risk of infection, as with any operation, but I am willing to chance it. I feel there is more of a risk of one of the dcs crashing into my ankle with a scooter or similar. I get the feeling that it wouldn't take much to burst the skin over the furthest sticking out screw. [yuk]

I did wonder if they might slide the plate out, but I wonder if by the time they have made six incisions for the screws, they might as well just do a long incision. Ah well, wait and see. Nothing like a surprise eh? Wink

When I had the original op done, they wouldn't give me a GA because I was pg, so I had it done with spinal and no sedation. They asked me if I wanted to watch the operation and I sort of did at the time, but wasn't brave enough. I think I will watch this time though. Shock

OP posts:
alypaly · 26/10/2010 15:59

some of the screws can be done through one hole as your skin does stretch,but my consultant said there would be a minimal incision compared to my 5 inch one.

Unfortnately i didnt do it.
A consultant had taken a v shaped piece out of my fibula to repair a badly done osteotomy that had done to remove a bunion.

He took too much of a v shape out of that bone and about a week after my op,i was walking along and i literally heard my leg snap. It wouldnt join together so i waited for a week for the consultant to come home from his holiday and then he put the plate in.
The rest of the metal work was a repair job done to resurrect my foot after a surgeon badly performed a mitchells osteotomy. My legacy is a numb big toe and next toe and stiffness in the joint.

Wish i had never had my bunion done now.

Original poster
mawbroon · 26/10/2010 16:16

Sad alypaly - hindsight is great, isn't it. I heard my bones snap too as I was falling and it was not pleasant at all. Some of the people I was with at the time were trying to look on the bright side telling me it might just have been tendons snapping, but there's no mistaking that crunching sound. [shudder]

OP posts:
ragged · 26/10/2010 16:25

DH had it done (screws and rod and all sorts removed after he broke his leg, few procedures to get it all out). He has no regrets, healed quite quickly and all.

Original poster
mawbroon · 26/10/2010 22:10

Ok, I am going to order a nice quick recovery. It seems perfectly possible from some of your experiences. Smile

I have made plans for a trip to my parents place for two days after the surgery, so hopefully will be just fine for it.

OP posts:
Original poster
mawbroon · 07/11/2010 21:43

Well, the big day was on Thursday. Got it done under spinal with no sedation and watched in the theatre lights.

It took 20mins and as far as I can see, he went in at the site of the original incisions, but they might be slightly bigger, although hard to tell with the swelling. So, 20cm ish on the outer side of my leg and 10 ish cm on the inside.

It really was You Can Do It If You B&Q It. Scalpel, screwdriver, stapler, all done. Shock

Had a bit of pain for the first couple of days, but it's mostly settled down now apart from some nasty bruising just above the instep which is pretty tender.

Staples out a week tomorrow, and a follow up visit to the fracture clinic on 19th.

They were reasonably ok about me bringing breastfed ds2 with me, but we were seperated for 5 hours because there was no room for me to go to after recovery. DS2 was fine, so I suppose no harm done, but I would have not have been happy with that length of seperation from a younger baby.

Anyway, that's it done now. Hopefully that will draw a line under the whole ankle debacle which has very much dominated this whole year for me.

OP posts:
Original poster
mawbroon · 08/11/2010 08:22

Sad Ouch, really sore today. thought the pain had gone, but it's the bit above the instep is agony and I have to use my crutch to hobble round the house. Sad

OP posts:
dontdisstheteens · 08/11/2010 08:43

Stop hobbling and put your foot up! Go on, time spent resting it now will be more than made up as you will get going properly sooner. Get help if you need to but keep the foot up! Is message loud and clear? Up I said!

Original poster
mawbroon · 08/11/2010 09:38

I hear you. Nobody to help though. DS1 is at school and ds2 is asleep, so will get my foot up for a while.

OP posts:
dontdisstheteens · 08/11/2010 09:41

Can someone bring DS1 home for you? Could anyone bring you some ready made sandwiches from the local shop. Could you declare a sofa and tv day? Hope you get some rest. x

Original poster
mawbroon · 08/11/2010 09:47

My neighbour is bringing ds1 home, she took him as well.

I don't really want a couch day tbh. When I originally broke my ankle, I found that days where I did nothing at all really affected my mood and I was well miserable and pissed off by the end of the day.

But, I will be a bit sensible and just do the bare minimum. Ah, wait, I do the bare minimum every day Grin

OP posts:
ohnelly · 13/11/2010 15:41

OP watching this thread with interest - I was due to have same op on 8th december, but it has been cancelled so waiting for another date. I have a plate with 6 screws on outside on 2 screws on inside. All on the outside is coming out, and the others too if I want though they are not causing a problem. Can I ask a few questions if you dont mind?
Did you have it all removed or just one side?
Did you need ctutches afterwards? If so for how long?
How long before you could drive if at all yet?
Could you put weight on it straightaway?
Hope your on the mend Smile

NorbertDentressangle · 13/11/2010 15:47

I wa sgoing to click on this and contribute but see that you've already had it done.

A few years ago I had a screw removed from my knee (it was getting quite prominent and visible). I really underestimated how sore it would be afterwards and spent a few days hobbling around with a stick.

Hope your ankle is well and truly on the mend now.