Plates, Screws, and Pins

Unless the hardware causes issues for you, you're best to leave it. Otherwise it's another surgery to have them removed, more trauma and recovery.

Shane

I had a plate and 7 screws put into my wrist 18 years ago, still in there and doing fine.

Had plates and screws and when I hVe rebroke it has been at the ends of the plates, if they aren't causing a problem leave them

I got mine removed cause it was in the end of my elbow by the nerve. Hurt like hell whenever I clipped a door or wall. Removal surgery is a walk in the park compared to traumatic repair.

That's all dependent on where the screws are. The ones in my leg would be just as invasive to take out as they were to put in.

Shane

1981 broke lower tibia and fibula right at the ankle socket. Broke the Fibula in half about 4 inches above the ankle. They put a long screw on each side at the ankle balls. And a plate and four screws to splice the Fibula back together. Got back to racing about a year later. Too impatient to take time and wait to have them removed. Didn't have any real problems but got reminded once in awhile on a hard landing that my right ankle was not as strong and wouldn't bend as much anymore. Had a couple landings that really hurt in recent years when I had my foot too far back on peg. Then I would try to be conscious of were my foot was on big landings. I don't know if having the screws removed would make any difference as I think it is all the stuff they cut during surgery and the fact that the ankle isn't lined up and in position quite right anymore after you break it like that.

Unless they cause you problems leave them in. The plate and screws in my hip have to remain in because the surgery to remove them is way to dangerous. Other than slight problems at airports its all good.

Same here. 2 plates and 13 pins installed in my tibia plateau in 1986. 2007 pin in my scaphoid. Still sporting them today! Leave 'em unless they bother you.

i got some plates and screws in my pelvis and hip i dont know how i broke the ones in the front but im pretty sure they are not comming out, and last year i was having hip pain and i got a cortisone shot and it didnt help, so i asked to have the plates and screws removed, he said no way 13 years of muscle and tissue growing over it would have to be removed first, the hip pain has gone away, and with all my hardware im as slow as i ever was so it doesnt really matter if its in there

My right leg is rodded from top to bottom, 12 pins also, the French surgeon who did it said it should never really need to come out and to leave it unless absolutely a problem, many years later it's fine, occasionally I get niggles where the pins are under my knee and just around the bottom of the Tib and Fib but it's usually after 100 mile cycle rides or long runs, when the niggles happen I just take it a bit easier.

Leave it in there us my advice unless it's creating aggro.

I have had plates and screws removed out of my legs three separate times. They caused me discomfort. Neither time was a big deal walking the same day even played hockey once the same day. I currently have my first metatarsal plated for the last 1.5 years. Not sure I will remove it as I rarely notice this plate compared to previous hardware installed in me.

Mine are still serving a purpose by providing support to the bone graft i received during my open laterjet reconstruction, they will be staying. I used to think guys were crazy when they said they could tell if it was going to rain, but now that i have a barometer in my shoulder i see how they do it! lol

My doctors in the past claimed I would not feel the hardware at all or weather changes with it. Yet none of them had actually had any metal in their bodies. I definitely feel the metal in the winter my feet get much colder with it in.

here is what it looks like when u bend the titanium plate installed. Needles to say i got some new hardware and a bone graph on this lil oopsie.

I had a similar injury - 13 screws/2 plates from casing a double. The hardware bothered me quite a bit with weather changes and especially when moving my ankle in certain positions. I had the hardware removed and those problems went away. Only downtime was the time required for the incisions to heal.