I'm looking into getting my femur rod removed

Dirtysmile56
Edited Date/Time 10/16/2019 9:01am
I know several of you guys have been through this . I am coming up on my three year anniversary of snapping the big one. I did it mid femur and all the way at the top. It's got a rod that starts at my knee and protrudes out the top of my femur and is digging into my ass cheek flesh. I am getting pretty sick of the discomfort and pain not to mention the fear of another break with the rod in place. I also have lots of screws and plates around the hip socket on the inside of my pelvis. I have an appointment with my ortho doc on Friday to get x-rays and to discuss surgery options. I would love to hear some feedback from anyone who has been through it. My doc has said that he would rather not remove it. One reason he doesn't like the idea of removal of the hardware is that he didn't install it. I had it put in at Riverside County Med center from a doctor Scott Nelson. I can't get it done down there because it's out of network. Thanks in advance guys.
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zjbell
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zjbell 12/9/2009 10:41pm
12/9/2009 10:41pm Edited Date/Time 12/9/2009 10:41pm
I've talked to multiple docs about getting the rod down the middle of my Tibia removed, all of them said don't do it. Recovery was stated to be a bitch, and said you could have some nerve damage and expect recovery time near to what the initial break was. I know it's not the femur but that's what the docs all told me about my leg.
Jake-247
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Jake-247 12/10/2009 1:35am
12/10/2009 1:35am
My Doctor who just recently operated on my leg (rod from hip to knee.) said that he will remove the rod roughly 2 years from the operation as he knows and Ive told him I'm going to keep on riding. So he wants to remove it because if I do break my leg again, trying to fix it will be a real pain in the ass for them with a smashed up rod through it. He never mentioned recovery time but i'll ask when im seeing him next Tuesday. Good luck with it anyway mate.

johansen
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johansen 12/10/2009 2:06am
12/10/2009 2:06am Edited Date/Time 12/10/2009 2:37am
I have done it twice on the same leg. Broke my right femur the first time 2003 after falling 18 feet to the ground. Second time I jumped a downhill double only to find out that the guy in front of me had fallen. Landed on his bike and crashed big time.



Both times I removed the rod after 1 to 2 years from surgery. I didn't want to keep the rod in case I crashed and broke my leg once again, wich I proved you can do. Recovery last time (August 09) for me was about 1-2 weeks. First days I was sore, but could walk around the house without crutches. After 5-7 days I could walk around normally except that it was painful walking a longer stretch and in 2 weeks I was riding again hitting a 100 feet tabletop without any pain!
WhKnuckle
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WhKnuckle 12/10/2009 2:25am
12/10/2009 2:25am
I've had one since '77 and my doc told me to leave it in unless it's causing me trouble. But it sounds like you're having trouble with yours, I imagine your ortho guy will want to remove it. Good luck, and keep your chin up. Time heals everything.

The Shop

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doublezero
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doublezero 12/10/2009 3:09am
12/10/2009 3:09am
Broke my femur riding a horse, the rod was removed after a year, and I also was able to keep it.. lol
mxr102
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mxr102 12/10/2009 3:31am
12/10/2009 3:31am
I just had mine removed after having it in my femur a year and 2 months. My opinion is get it out the sooner the better after the bone is fully healed. The first 3-4 days it hurt worse then when I broke it. After about a week and a half my leg had never felt better. No more aching throbbing annoying pains from the rod or pin. I have full movement of my leg again to, I could only lift my leg a certain height. It always felt like my pin was sticking me in the pelvis. I highly advise doing it though and you will be on crutches maybe a little over a week max. Then it takes about 6 weeks for the BONE MARROW to grow back in the Bone completely. My doctor told me not to ride untill after 6 weeks to be safe. I have another week and I can't wait Im bugging to ride. Start stretching out your hip and leg within a couple days. Definately get it done the sooner the better. My doctor I could keep my rod as long as there wasn't no bone attatched to it after it was out. Lets just say I still don't have my rod. Wink
R-acer
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R-acer 12/10/2009 3:40am
12/10/2009 3:40am
My son has a rod in his femur right now too.
He broke his femur 3" from the top. He wants to have it removed at the end of next season, so that would put it at 1.5 years. I want him to remove it, because I dont want to know what would happen if he broke again with the rod in.




dirtbikersa 12/10/2009 4:13am
12/10/2009 4:13am
Mine was pretty much the same as others. Had a rod in for 2 years, I did not have any discomfort with it in but just wanted it out for pretty much the same reasons. There were some complications where my bone had started growing over the top of the rod and the doctor had to get rid of it before he could remove the rod. There was some serious bleeding for a couple of days and had to have a pipe in the side of my leg. The recovery period was about 2 weeks if I recall correctly, I still however have pain in my hip area since the removal of the pin. I also kept the rod with the screws etc to add to the collection.
mxr102
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mxr102 12/10/2009 4:46am
12/10/2009 4:46am
dirtbikersa wrote:
Mine was pretty much the same as others. Had a rod in for 2 years, I did not have any discomfort with it in but just...
Mine was pretty much the same as others. Had a rod in for 2 years, I did not have any discomfort with it in but just wanted it out for pretty much the same reasons. There were some complications where my bone had started growing over the top of the rod and the doctor had to get rid of it before he could remove the rod. There was some serious bleeding for a couple of days and had to have a pipe in the side of my leg. The recovery period was about 2 weeks if I recall correctly, I still however have pain in my hip area since the removal of the pin. I also kept the rod with the screws etc to add to the collection.
I had the exact same thing as you did. I didn't have a drain tube put in. But my Doc said when it look like I Hemotoma to force all the Extra liquid/ blood towards the wound and it would leak out and drain. I was freaking out when I took my first couple bandages off and they were completely satterated in blood and they were like 3" thick. He kept telling me its nothing big and to stop worrying about it. "Just do what I tell you to do" he said its the bone bleeding and not the tissue. After that I kept alot of ICE on it and for some reason it seemed like the bleeding slowed down. He said the Ice deal very's from person to person with the bleeding.
AHRMA361 12/10/2009 6:14am
12/10/2009 6:14am
Had my rod taken out of the left femur after 2.5 years. Prior to removal, the pain was awful depending on how you moved and the top part of the rod was seriously messing with the muscles causing spasms etc.

The bone had grown around the part protruding out and it took the Doc some time to clean it up before literally attaching a slide hammer to the threaded end and hammering it out. I was bruised up afterward and the Doc said he was yanking me all about on the operating table to get it free.

The incision was stapled well and a week later I felt great. No more "take you to the ground" muscle spasms.

Weird thing, less than a month later my Ortho Doc got cancer and was dead before the end of the year......
Overdrive
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Overdrive 12/10/2009 6:30am
12/10/2009 6:30am
Yeah get it out, there isn't that much recovery time after. I was bending my rod and they had to remove it about 2 years after it being put in. I was riding again in about a week after it was removed.
Highsider
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Highsider 12/10/2009 6:32am
12/10/2009 6:32am
mxr102 wrote:
I had the exact same thing as you did. I didn't have a drain tube put in. But my Doc said when it look like I...
I had the exact same thing as you did. I didn't have a drain tube put in. But my Doc said when it look like I Hemotoma to force all the Extra liquid/ blood towards the wound and it would leak out and drain. I was freaking out when I took my first couple bandages off and they were completely satterated in blood and they were like 3" thick. He kept telling me its nothing big and to stop worrying about it. "Just do what I tell you to do" he said its the bone bleeding and not the tissue. After that I kept alot of ICE on it and for some reason it seemed like the bleeding slowed down. He said the Ice deal very's from person to person with the bleeding.
Juddas Priest, Todd!Pinch

I would be freaking if that was me!! Sounds like a satisfactory ending, eh?

On a side note, earlier this week, at MTF, Iowa racer Teddy Maier re-broke his tibia/fibula. It was the one with a rod in the tibia and yes, he bent the rod.
MX Culture
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MX Culture 12/10/2009 7:12am
12/10/2009 7:12am
I've had a rod in my femur for 17 years, little/no discomfort.
everyone says I walk with a limp though.
I'd be more scared to get it taken out now!
DD

PS...super bummer on Teddy...wasn't he going to do AX?
Oldskool
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Oldskool 12/10/2009 7:28am
12/10/2009 7:28am
My son broke his femur and we had the rods removed 9 months after he healed. The recover was a snap with soreness the first day but nothing thereafter. The procedure took a total of 2 hours from walking into the building to leaving the building. Do it!
anyday3
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anyday3 12/10/2009 8:05am
12/10/2009 8:05am
broke my femur may 08, bone hasn,t healed properly. using a bone healing system for the next while, doc said if I was younger he would remove the rod but also said it would be a mess to fix if I broke the femur again with the rod in , my knee is sore and is stiff if I drive but feels ok when I ride, I have a limp now, it is more anoying than anything , I have been limping that long now Ithink its only a habit, have any of you guys been left with a limp?
Dirtysmile56 12/10/2009 8:07am
12/10/2009 8:07am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 7:23pm
Thanks for all the input guys, where else can you find so many people that broke the largest bone in their body doing mostly the same sport. Sorry about the weiner shot but this is serious medical conversation here. This injury has really affected my life, physically and mentally. I am scared to death of going in for another surgery but I am sick of being in pain and discomfort. I know I will never feel that good again mainly because of the severe damage to my hip socket. But I want to try and upgrade my quality of life.
tw180
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tw180 12/10/2009 8:09am
12/10/2009 8:09am
I broke my femur a couple of years ago in July and by January, they (doctors), wanted it out. After removed, that day i was walking and I was 12 years old. Compound fracture, twisted iogjdingdigndion it sucked.
mxr102
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mxr102 12/10/2009 8:09am
12/10/2009 8:09am
mxr102 wrote:
I had the exact same thing as you did. I didn't have a drain tube put in. But my Doc said when it look like I...
I had the exact same thing as you did. I didn't have a drain tube put in. But my Doc said when it look like I Hemotoma to force all the Extra liquid/ blood towards the wound and it would leak out and drain. I was freaking out when I took my first couple bandages off and they were completely satterated in blood and they were like 3" thick. He kept telling me its nothing big and to stop worrying about it. "Just do what I tell you to do" he said its the bone bleeding and not the tissue. After that I kept alot of ICE on it and for some reason it seemed like the bleeding slowed down. He said the Ice deal very's from person to person with the bleeding.
Highsider wrote:
Juddas Priest, Todd!:pinch: I would be freaking if that was me!! Sounds like a satisfactory ending, eh? On a side note, earlier this week, at MTF...
Juddas Priest, Todd!Pinch

I would be freaking if that was me!! Sounds like a satisfactory ending, eh?

On a side note, earlier this week, at MTF, Iowa racer Teddy Maier re-broke his tibia/fibula. It was the one with a rod in the tibia and yes, he bent the rod.
Ya but my leg feels 20 times better then it has in along time though Jim. My advice to anyone that is thinking about getting there rod out of there femur. Don't think twice just do it, its worth it and you feel way better after. My doc told me that he had to take 3 breaks to take it out. He said it was tiring. That sucks with Teddy he was just starting to be the Teddy of OLD. Won the Championship in Canada this year and was Super Confident from what I heard.

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tw180
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tw180 12/10/2009 8:12am
12/10/2009 8:12am
anyday3 wrote:
broke my femur may 08, bone hasn,t healed properly. using a bone healing system for the next while, doc said if I was younger he would...
broke my femur may 08, bone hasn,t healed properly. using a bone healing system for the next while, doc said if I was younger he would remove the rod but also said it would be a mess to fix if I broke the femur again with the rod in , my knee is sore and is stiff if I drive but feels ok when I ride, I have a limp now, it is more anoying than anything , I have been limping that long now Ithink its only a habit, have any of you guys been left with a limp?
I broke my femur on right leg, torn ACL and PCL on the left, I limp, but you can't tell considering both legs are shot. hahaha
DrSweden
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DrSweden 12/10/2009 8:16am
12/10/2009 8:16am
Dirtysmile56 wrote:
Thanks for all the input guys, where else can you find so many people that broke the largest bone in their body doing mostly the same...
Thanks for all the input guys, where else can you find so many people that broke the largest bone in their body doing mostly the same sport. Sorry about the weiner shot but this is serious medical conversation here. This injury has really affected my life, physically and mentally. I am scared to death of going in for another surgery but I am sick of being in pain and discomfort. I know I will never feel that good again mainly because of the severe damage to my hip socket. But I want to try and upgrade my quality of life.
Damn, that looks nasty. You know flesh is also visible in the lower pic! Wink
DL
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DL 12/10/2009 8:19am
12/10/2009 8:19am
My son broke his femur at Ponca at the end of July in 2008. He had the rod removed in late November just 4 months later. At the same time he had 14 screws and two plates removed from his tib fib which had been installed in January. He had a lot of discomfort from both injuries. It was a good decision and as a parent knowing there is no hardware in my son is a good feeling. My son was feeling 100% a few weeks after the surgery. Get the rod out ASAP IMO.
GuyB
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GuyB 12/10/2009 8:43am
12/10/2009 8:43am
I knew I should have skipped this thread before breakfast. Wink
beamer
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beamer 12/10/2009 8:57am
12/10/2009 8:57am
I broke my Femur in January of 1994, about directly half way in the middle between knee and hip. I had the rod removed in September of the same year. I noticed the same as you with the discomfort in the hip, especially when I rolled over to sleep on that side it would always wake me up due to the discomfort. After it was removed I felt much better after recovering from the surgery. I bled alot after the rod removal as well, almost to the point where I was going to go back in to get it check out but it eventually quit bleeding.

I got landed on over a jump here the summer before last, which resulted in a broken wrist plus a huge grapefruit sized welt on my lower back where the bike hit me so they took some xrays of my back to make sure my back was OK (which it was). The xray tech say's "what did you do to your hip"? The bone has built up on top of my femur considerably due to the healing of the hole I guess, it looks like a cone. Looking at the Xray I dont know how it doesnt bother me, but it doesn't.
Moto_Geek
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Moto_Geek 12/10/2009 9:18am
12/10/2009 9:18am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 7:23pm
Dirtysmile56 wrote:
Thanks for all the input guys, where else can you find so many people that broke the largest bone in their body doing mostly the same...
Thanks for all the input guys, where else can you find so many people that broke the largest bone in their body doing mostly the same sport. Sorry about the weiner shot but this is serious medical conversation here. This injury has really affected my life, physically and mentally. I am scared to death of going in for another surgery but I am sick of being in pain and discomfort. I know I will never feel that good again mainly because of the severe damage to my hip socket. But I want to try and upgrade my quality of life.








Ok thats just wrong.. I know you have balls of steel as it picked up most of it on your xray! And you have a womans face peeking through your right but cheek in your pelvis..
captmoto
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captmoto 12/10/2009 10:26am
12/10/2009 10:26am Edited Date/Time 12/10/2009 10:27am
GuyB wrote:
I knew I should have skipped this thread before breakfast. Wink
Did pass on sausage for breakfast?
mxbile131
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mxbile131 12/10/2009 10:33am
12/10/2009 10:33am
Compounded my femur and has the usual rod and screws put in.... I didn't have any discomfort from it after it healed but had it taken out about a year and a half later.... I was walking the next day with relatively no pain. Get it out for sure.
oldx
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oldx 12/10/2009 10:36am
12/10/2009 10:36am
Every time I look at some of these x-rays I decide my pain isn't so bad after all.Especially when I see oscotties x-rays of his back.
Highsider
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Highsider 12/10/2009 10:37am
12/10/2009 10:37am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 7:23pm
Damn, I hate hearing all this great advice, from first-hand experts, on the subject.Sick

Sorry you guys know so much!
troublebros
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troublebros 12/10/2009 10:52am
12/10/2009 10:52am
What about having screws removed from ankles?
PD441
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PD441 12/10/2009 10:53am
12/10/2009 10:53am
I just want to take a moment to thank all you guys for shriveling my nuts this morning.

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