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  • Fractured Elbow. Metal work / hardware removal.
  • mountainmatt
    Free Member

    Hi. I’ve posted a few times and the replies have been helpful thanks.
    I was wondering for anyone who’s had a fracture and metalwork inserted , how long until the hardware can be taken out ? Folks experiences. Please.

    g123456
    Free Member

    Guess it depends how much you’ve got in there?. I did my arm and the radius on the end of my elbow was floating about they wired it back on and never took the wires out that was 10 years ago. Its got full movement and only causes issues when you clout it.

    brooess
    Free Member

    Ask your consultant – it’ll be case by case I should imagine.
    They also don’t always want to take metalwork out – it means more surgery which presents risk of infection. Right now the NHS has severe cost pressures too.
    I opted to have the plate and screws out of my collarbone and glad I did as it’s more comfortable

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    doom_mountain
    Full Member

    I ‘fractured and displaced my Olecranon’, essentially I snapped off my funny bone 😀
    Had the wire / metal taken about two years after.
    The metal work was causing discomfort and was quite close to skin.
    About five years from break and it never bothers me, not quite full extension, surgeon advised I never would.
    Get well soon!

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    Also lost my ‘funny bone’ – a real mess, what was left just compacted and refused to heal – original consultant wanted to fuse it but I refused but was told they’d never remove the plate.

    Had a second opinion privately, he said it was likely that scar tissue and cartilage was holding it but didn’t xray – ultimately had it out 2.5 years after the crash but had to fight for it.

    AFAIK the NHS will never remove metalwork unless there’s a pressing need to, they won’t risk the op or risk of infection for no gain.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    My femur was pinned 10 years ago, I have no plans to remove it

    Robespierre
    Free Member

    I had a bloody great ti pin (at least I presume its ti…it might be stainless) screwed through my elbow to re-attach it to the ulna about 12 weeks ago. At the moment they appear content to leave it in, although they at least go throught the motions of presenting it as my choice. The head of the pin is under the tricep muscle, so you can’t actually detect it. It seems pointless to go under another general to get it out, but the surgeon reckoned that if it had been wired and pinned then the metalwork would have to have come out in due course. If it bothers you in the long term then insist on it’s removal.

    wanmankylung
    Free Member

    In my department they wouldnt remove it unless there was a good clinical reason to do so. The material that your metalwork is made from will depend on what the surgeon wanted and the theatre had a supply of at the time.

    And alongside making some bloody good saws Sandvik also make medical devices. http://www.smt.sandvik.com/en/applications/medical-devices/

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

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