Femur screw removal

RM Mike
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200
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Oakhurst, CA US
2/2/2017 8:09am
I love the old femur/hardware removal threads :) As some of you guys know I toasted my femur in two places back in 06 at Elsinore...
I love the old femur/hardware removal threads Smile As some of you guys know I toasted my femur in two places back in 06 at Elsinore. I also punched the femur ball through the acetabulum (hip socket) that was fucking fun. Doc told me the same deal as many of you "leave it in forever unless you experience pain" I was pain free for the first few years but every year the pain is increasing. I've scheduled the removal surgery several times and chickened out. Well, I finally have reached my breaking point (no pun lol) I go in on Wed the 27th and I'm getting the 5 screws and rod removed. Once that all heals I am getting the hip replace. The pain is affecting my quality of life to a point of where I have no
choice. Excuse the dick x ray but this is for medical purposes lol....





You win. I thought I had it bad...

Dr. prob had to recharge his Makita after that deal.
Bearuno
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AU
2/2/2017 8:15am
i walked out of the hospital the same day and drove home. 0 pain what so ever. felt better immediately. leg was a tender for a...
i walked out of the hospital the same day and drove home. 0 pain what so ever. felt better immediately. leg was a tender for a few weeks. i was walking on the whole time just had to wait for bone to "fill". as the hardware leaves a void. i think i was something like 6 weeks
You touched on an important point - when they remove hardware, the 'wounds' to the bone, then need to heal.

So many people get hardware out, then promptly break the bones again - at the bone wounds / voids.

I've some trellis work in both legs, in both the femurs and tibia's, that make it damned near impossible to put in decent knee joints - I need complete replacements. Finding a Doctor that will take on a bit of 'hard' work, has proved to be difficult. Or, they don't think I'm serious about going through the amount of operations to remove the parts, to get good / sports usable knees. My original Ortho (who died, unfortunately) was a hell of a surgeon, and a bloke willing to make an effort for his patients - I don't seem to be able to find his like, nowadays. I've said to a few - well with the work I need, I'll probably provide you with your next Lambo, Ferrari, Porsche, Merc or Bentley - Maybe even one of each. Bastards, that seem to just want to do an endless succession of Arthroscopic surgeries.
BMR179
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East Texas, TX US
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2/2/2017 8:38am
Hey guys, I'm getting my screw out of my knee next Wednesday after a femur break, I've had all the hardware in since April, but the...
Hey guys, I'm getting my screw out of my knee next Wednesday after a femur break, I've had all the hardware in since April, but the screw in my knee had some calcium growth on the end (known to happen) and when I bend my knee it catches the tendon and snaps off sometimes, really painful, cant do squats, leg presses or anything or it will catch,

just curious what was recovery time like? are you able to walk outta there or is it quite a long time?
only getting the screw out, thanks!
Recovery time for removing the screw only is minimal and no pain. Walked out of day surgery, no problem. Just let the small incision heal and you are good to go. That tendon pain goes away immediately.

The Shop

mxracer816
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Atlanta, TX US
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2/2/2017 8:52am
Here's the old actual x ray film of course my femur! Notice the date in the top left corner!

LuckyWinner
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3
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Location
New York, NY US
2/2/2017 11:53am
I broke my femur about 30 years ago in a biking accident, and this past September had a plate and screws removed, because I found out that they had been digging into two of my quads and IT band, causing awful pain and debility in the the quads that acupuncture was no longer able to resolve. I managed to find a hospital with the ability to do an MRI even though I had metal in my body, because I would not have known about this problem from x-rays.

Fortunately, everything was in-network with my insurance. Otherwise, it would cost about $7000 total. I'm still in physical therapy and you leg is almost back to normal. All the problems I had before for several years are gone, so I highly recommend getting the metal out if it's causing you pain and limiting your activity. The worst part was waking up in the middle of the night im horrifying pain because the Percocet and Vicodin had worn off and I was freaked out. That went on for a few weeks right after surgery.

Now, I'm doing all kinds of things I couldn't do for the last couple of years because my leg was so jacked up. Here's a photo of the before and after x-rays. Only one of the screws is still in there because it was buried under new growth.



1
KG171
Posts
25
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12/26/2012
Location
NL
2/2/2017 1:17pm
Broke mine in July. Hurt like sh*t. They put in a rod an 3 screws. Back on the bike in about 3,5 months.
They will take the hardware out as soon as possible. I can't run more than 1 mile anymore without my leg starting to hurt a lot. No problems on the bike tho.

JC2On
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5
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1/31/2016
Location
CA US
7/5/2017 3:50pm Edited Date/Time 7/5/2017 3:57pm
I had a plate and 13 screws removed from my femur a little over 2 years ago. As my femur healed, it actually grew back thicker...
I had a plate and 13 screws removed from my femur a little over 2 years ago. As my femur healed, it actually grew back thicker and caused the screws to push into my knee, tearing a couple of ligaments, and those ligaments were not fixable until the screws were out. That was the easiest surgery of the 7 that were involved with my femur break.
JC2On wrote:
I broke my left femur on september/15. I started riding my mountain/road bicycle, but every time my knee reaches the top of the pedal it hurts...
I broke my left femur on september/15. I started riding my mountain/road bicycle, but every time my knee reaches the top of the pedal it hurts so bad. I had a screw near the knee. My first thought is that the screw is tearing my left ligament. not sure. Cant do normal squats because of the same pain. I only can do 3/4 of the squat. Not even considered a squat.
Anyone have the same issue? should I remove the bottom screw?
Still debating on taking the rod out. any advise is well appreciated.

And my knee cracks a bit when I bend it. Doctor says its scar tissue but after 5 months??
anyone experience knee cracking sounds or similar?



Get the screw out, I have the same issue as you.
LAndscaper42 did you get the screw out? If so, how was it? does it only hurts our wallets?

Im still riding after 1 year and 10 months after my fracture with all hardware on. still hurts my knee were the screw is located.

Other than that no issues at all. Still debating if I should take the rod out with the top screw. My biggest concern is that I cant stay too long sitting on the bench. I've got to work on Monday so....

If someone want to share their experience taking all the hardware out it would be appreciated.
femuRider
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1
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Location
Brooklyn, NY US
7/5/2017 4:35pm Edited Date/Time 7/5/2017 4:39pm
After 30 years of nine screws and a plate in my femur, I had them all removed because an MRI showed that the frequent and then chronic pain and debility I was having in my quads were a result of two screws sticking into the IT band and soft tissue. it was time for them to come out. The only pain was right after surgery; it's when the hardcore opioids I thought weren't working wore off in the middle of the night and I'd wake up for a few weeks in terrifying pain. I got over it.

The incision from the removal was a quarter the length of the original insertion slice. Physical therapy was intense: 3x weekly for four months, with me exercising almost daily in addition. My leg abilities are fully regained. It was totally worth it. Fortunately, I had insurance that covered most of the costs, leaving me with about a grand in uncovered expenses, like cabs, nicer crutches, acupuncture, and PT when I passed the limited of what was covered.

The advise surgeons have me all the years during my occasionally traumatic problems where the quads suddenly couldn't bear weight and the pain was insane (relieved only by acupuncture until even that no longer worked and I needed the removal surgery) was to see if I could live with the inconveniences. I did for years because it wasn't a disaster.

The bone takes 6-12 months to heal fully, filling in the screw holes with new bone, after which time your surgeon will clear you for playing brutal sports (tackle football, mixed martial arts fighting, etc) or anything else that could leave you susceptible to injury (even slipping and falling in soccer) that your leg might be troubled by if played not long after surgery.

Good luck.

1
12/7/2018 2:04am
My bad I am bringing up an old post. I didn’t want to start a new one. I got my 2 screws at my knee removed 7 days ago. I read all of these pages and got motivating to get my screws out only cause my knee was hurting really bad. I appreciate that vital Mx members. I have had the rod and 3 screws since July 2003. They made the surgery sound like 2 screws would be out in 15-30 min and it would be a walk in the park....well the surgery lasted about a hour and 15 min. Well turns out there was Some minir complications cause One of my screws stripped and they had to keep me asleep longer and cut me some where else (inside my thigh). It has been rough recovering. I still have not walked and i am super sore. Bringing back some broke femur memories for sure. Wish i would have got my hip screw out while I was at it. Just wanted to share my story. I am getting my staples out in 4 hours. How long were some of you off from work from this surgery?
1
12/7/2018 2:48am
I broke my left femur in november '99. I had the entire lot removed around two years later.
When inserting it they only had to cut the outside of my leg down by the knee to insert the screw, but to remove it they found that the lower screw had in fact snapped in half, so had to cut both sides of my leg to get half out one side and the other half out the other side.

About four years ago I suffered a groin injury and so had some x-rays, the consultant told me I have a very arthritic hip- no doubt due to the intrusive surgery after the femur fracture.

Now I'm 38 and yeah Im feeling the effects of the arthritic hip. I cycle a lot, which surprisingly helps it. If I take a week off of cycling I lay in bed and can't sleep because my bum cheek aches LF!
Brentyancich
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83
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11/23/2011
Location
Marriottsville, MD US
12/7/2018 4:13am
I had knee pain and hip pain that I thought would go away once the screws come out but it wasnt a total success. The longer it's in , the harder it will be to come out . I'd plan on a 5-7 week recovery before your back 100% . If I had to do it all over I would of removed all hardware after 24 months .
LuckyWinner
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3
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9/1/2016
Location
New York, NY US
12/7/2018 5:49am
Glad you got it out despite the complications, mississippihippie. I had a 9” plate and 8 screws removed after 29 years. One of the screws was left in because new bone had covered it. The pain alone was debilitating for about three weeks. Apparently I didn’t get into physical therapy soon enough (3 weeks after surgery instead of 1 weeks after surgery) and could barely bend my leg. It took about a month after surgery to get to the stage where I was walking without a cane and I was slow and clumsy then. My case was not common because of the complication of waiting so long. as long as you do all you can in PT and exercising at home, the functions will return sooner. May you heal well.
12/8/2018 12:43pm Edited Date/Time 12/8/2018 12:43pm
After 15 years I still have a nail / rod in my right lower leg, after the first year I had all the screws removed as they either rubbed on my knee braces or boots.
No biggy!
12/8/2018 1:11pm
I have a plate and 16 screws along my entire femur. So far I've been very lucky and haven't had any serious aches.. What do you think the chances are of me never having to get them removed? this happened in 2002
11/29/2019 2:56pm
I have nuts and bolts in my femur and a metal plate in my hip since 2019 the pain is awful and most days I vomit. They say it's arthritis around the metals and they can't reverse the procedure but I think they could. I'm in constant pain. It's ruined my mobility and my life
11/29/2019 3:18pm
I shattered my left femur back in 2005, right below the ball where it goes to the hip socket. The top has a big ass screw thing that goes through the rod and is screwed into the ball of the femur, so that is no issue. The bottom at the knee has the typical screws from the outside to fixate the rod. Never caused an issue and I started doing serious running in 2008 until 2015. Well strangely enough the last few months I have been having left knee soreness that never goes away, never gets worse, but didn't hurt before that so...I run across this thread. Now I am wondering if I should just have the screws removed at the knee? Nothing else hurts and I really do not want to have them open up my leg to remove the 14" nail.

tempura
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2079
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5/18/2015
Location
JP
11/30/2019 5:02pm
Broke my femur two years ago. Had a rod and four screws.
After one year I had it all removed.
I didn’t realise how stiff my knee and hip was until I had it all taken out. Glad I did it at the soonest opportunity.
danman
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1205
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Readstown, WI US
11/30/2019 7:31pm
Add me to the broken femur club. Broke mine 9 weeks ago today. Just going between a cane and nothing right now. Not much fun, that's for sure.
deac83
Posts
1
Joined
12/9/2019
Location
Keller, TX US
12/10/2019 9:19am
Broke mine 18 months ago, clean through just below the ball. Rod, screw at hip and two screws at knee. Within the first few months the screw at the hip began sticking out 2 cm. Not major pain but knew it was there and could feel it moving under muscle and tendons. Also broke one of the screws by the knee.

At a minimum needed to get the screw reset but decided to have all hardware removed as I would have to have two incisions to do that. I'm a serious bicyclist, and I know that on a 3 hr ride I could feel the screws across my knee and sometime a sense of the rod in the leg. Dr. didn't buy that, and maybe in my head but pretty sure there was some pressure from the hardware.

Just had the hardware removed 3 weeks ago. I've been surprised at the speed of recovery. Crutches day one. Single crutch day two. No crutches day 3. Steady improvement day by day. Had check up 6 days after surgery, staples removed and Dr. cleared me to start riding again (slowly). Put my self on a slow progression 10 miles, 15 miles, 20 miles etc. Got up to my peak distance of 65 miles this past weekend. Slow but not terrible, certainly much better than after the initial break.

Only issue/concern, is the right side of my right knee is swollen along the incision (probably 1 to 1 1/2 long). It's about a 1/2 inch elevated. No signs of infection (not hot or red). There is minimal flesh, muscle or tendon there, so it's quite obvious. Hoping it's just really agitated. It doesn't seem to impact my walking or cycling. Going to check with my Dr to confirm.
crusher773
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1749
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12/23/2009
Location
Coweta, OK US
12/10/2019 9:29am
my brother had the same thing where he was squatting at work and it caused an issue had it pulled out don't remember it being a big deal.
mxracer816
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Atlanta, TX US
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2838th
12/10/2019 10:39am
This thread brings back some painful memories 😂

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