My clavicle has a plate in it and at times it can feel uncomfortable and I am thinking if having it removed. Has anybody else been in this situation? What was the advice from your doctor?

won’t you go all wobbly?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaTRCHbG_IA[/video]

I had a plate in my wrist removed after a good 7 or 8 years but this was because of a problem with it rubbing a tendon as i grew, so the doctors actually recommended me to have it done, not visa versa.

There was a thread a few weeks back, might have some info in it…
here

I had the plate and screws taken out of my collar bone a few years ago because it was uncomfortable.

Surgeon was happy to do it. Generally they prefer not to have to operate as opening you up is an infection risk so they avoid surgery if possible.

I’m very glad I did it. The morphine hit afterwards was a once in a lifetime experience 😀

The only downsides were I had to take it easy for a few months whilst the screwholes healed over – the bone was weak until that happened + as it meant they cut me open for a third time (I’d had a bone graft as well as the initial op to fix me) the nerve damage to my skin is permanent – although barely noticeable day to day and definitely less uncomfortable than the plate.

If you regularly wear a rucksack – for riding or walking – a plate can be very uncomfortable

I was told it’s not common as the operation to remove it is just as risky as putting it in.

Dangers of death, infection, bone’s weakened for a while whilst healing, etc, etc. So it’s a ballance betwen those risks and any problems it causes by stayig in there.

If you regularly wear a rucksack – for riding or walking – a plate can be very uncomfortable

This is true, unfortunately for me the screw that’s in my shoulder is permanent, as it’s got a false ligament wrapped around it. Thankyou idiot who right turned on me.

Pook – Member
won’t you go all wobbly?

The OP after the op:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBqM2ytqHY4[/video]

I had the below removed a few years back. Bikepark Wales did that to me, before it was Bikepark Wales…

The evil Gethin rocks!

I found that I was getting aches and pains and could feel the metalwork under my skin which was very painful when knocked so I elected to have it out.
To be fair, it’s still kind of painful and not a lot has changed but I know that many people do find it to be better.
As above, had to take things easy for a while, kind of like breaking your leg again…

Yes – I had a spiral fracture of the humerus several years ago which left me with two large pins running down from the humerus and into my forearm by the elbow. I had one of these removed as it protruded quite prominently and was uncomfortable.

I was still on outpatient appointments at the orthopaedic clinic when I asked for this to be done – so back to them for a chat about your options would be my best guess as a place to start (you’ll probably need your GP to refer you).

As others have said, need to weigh up the risks of more surgery against the long-term benefits – even though mine was a simple ‘make a cut and pull the pin out’ job, it still required a general anaesthetic (I suspect so the poor patient doesn’t witness just how hard they have to pull to get the thing out!!).

Has it been in there long? I had an internal brace put in my back last September after I fractured three vertebra flying off my mountain bike into a head/hill collision.

Over time, the pain morphed into just feeling uncomfortable which is itself just lately beginning to diminish. I suppose the body just needs time to get used to the invasive metalwork and in the meantime, there’s painkillers (also reducing over time).

I’d rather put up with the process than have another back operation. I’m not going through THAT again…

I had the plate from my tibia removed. Work got a bit funny about it, citing elfin safety. The surgeon was happy to do it, but I got a staph aureus infection which meant several months of hydro colloid dressings and a scar that kids run away from.

Still got these in after 14 years.. played footie, ran and biked since then..no major probs although did something similar to the left one almost a year later.