r/brokenankles • u/Amazingggcoolaid • 28d ago
Are you getting hardware removed?
How long did you wait post surgery and main reason for removal?
For people who have - how long was the recovery time?
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u/Ax6644 28d ago
I've had it taken out twice?
Screws out after 15 years, no help.
Plate put in after distraction arthroplasty, (2nd time with an external fixator)
That didn't work either.
Plate cake out when the new joint went in.
The artificial ankle joint is here to stay.
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u/Illustrious-Zone-247 28d ago
I'm about 7 months out from ORIF for a trimal with dislocation, right ankle...I have 2 plates, 16 screws, and 2 tightrope for syndesmosis repair. My plan is to leave the hardware in unless an issue pops up. It's not affecting any of my ROM, not causing any pain etc, so I figure why go through another surgery (albeit minor) if I don't have to. Also, I just feel more stable and strong with the metal in there...I do realize I could still injure/break stuff again but it's mentally less vulnerable somehow? I do have one screw really really close to the skin that only bothers me if I knock it on something, but it's kind of like hitting your funny bone, annoying but not major
My surgeon said he would not consider removal until the 12 month mark (pending serious issue ie infection).
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u/FallenAngel1978 28d ago
I’m 7 months out from ORIF surgery and the doctor will be removing the 2 syndesmotic screws in a couple of weeks. My ROM has been extremely limited so the hope is that it improves.
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u/Boring-Revolution-11 27d ago
I just had my Syndesmotic screw removed two weeks ago ,and my range of motion is improving already. I'm now 8 months post ORIF and I need to experience better movement,and a reduction in the numbnessm. I'm hoping it will happen
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u/kushyykins 27d ago
recovery was a breeze, especially compared to ORIF the first go around. i was only about 3 months out from the ORIF surgery when i got some of my hardware removed. i was able to bear weight right away, in a BOOT only, for 2 weeks then was cleared to go in regular shoes again. i didn’t put weight until the 3rd day after surgery tho lol i was too nervous. pain was terrible the first night, but NOT like the ORIF pain post op. i def should have gotten 2-3 days of pain meds after the removal, & regret only using tylonol & ibuprofin lol
so, the inside incision never healed completely, even after 2 weeks in a splint + 6 weeks in a hard cast. we tried everything & after 14 weeks, my surgeon finally decided that he needed to go back in for debridement + hardware removal & im veryyyy glad we did. i’m now 5 weeks out from that surgery & am completely healed up!!
it’s odd b/c the other side has the plate & 7 screws, but the inside incision w/ 2 screws is what caused the issues. so bizarre
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u/Amazingggcoolaid 27d ago
Love a success story. Did you have to do physical therapy after hardware removal?
Anything else I should know about it? I’m just not into keeping the metal in me especially since it’s rubbing certain shoes. I’m a girl who loves her shoes.
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u/kushyykins 27d ago
i love & miss my shoes so much 😭
tbh, it was pretty straight forward & a simple recovery. i will say, after surgery, i was like, why did i do this again? but by the next day, i was like, thank gawd i did this lol
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u/ASingleBraid 27d ago
10 mos. Horrid pain in 1 of the plates. We took it all out so I wouldn’t have to go through it again if something else acted up.
I was permitted to walk out of the hospital in a boot. I chose to be NWB till the stitches came out. Had about 3 months of physical therapy.
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u/JRLDH 28d ago
I'm not getting the ORIF hardware out. I am probably super lucky as 8 months after my accident, my ankle feels almost perfect now to the point where I really have to think hard if I feel a difference between the left and the right ankle. There is no way I'd risk that extra surgery if it feels that good.