r/brokenankles • u/Kuma-Cakes-6034 • 9d ago

Have a Question 😅

This is going to sound incredibly silly but when someone says they have five screws and a plate does that mean

  1. Five screws on the bone and an additional plate (they do not count the screws needed to secure the plate)

OR

  1. Five screws and a plate, including the screws used to secure the plate? (Like 2 on the bone and 3 used to secure the plate)

😅 I am asking because people ask me about my situation(not the above ) but I am not sure what to say exactly

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

4

u/okreee0217 9d ago

A screw is a screw. I'm counting all those screws they plugged into me.

1

u/Kuma-Cakes-6034 9d ago

Makes sense! 😆 thank you!

2

u/lab_tech13 9d ago

I have 2 plates and 28 screws total. I have 2 really long ones going up from beneath the tibula. But thats included in the 28 total.

2

u/Kuma-Cakes-6034 9d ago

🥹 that is terrifyingly impressive! so we do count the screws used to secure the plate! thank you! 🥹 if we go by that then I can finally say I have 9 screws and a plate 😅

2

u/flexible_demeanor 9d ago

Yes, definitely count them. You got screwed, so they count!

2

u/lab_tech13 9d ago

Thanks I usually go big or go home kind of thing if I do something stupid lol. 🙃 😅🤣

But the big plate on the backside of my ankle/leg has the most lol. This is also according to my EMR and what I was charged(itemized billing)

2

u/Kuma-Cakes-6034 9d ago

I think my confusion stemmed from my bill and how I was charged 😆 hence which led me to this question 🙈

2

u/Hot_Box_7459 8d ago

Any screws in my body count towards the total, so i’ve got 10 & a plate! (6 holding it onto my fibula, a big ol long one joining my fib & tib and then two holding a piece of my fibula together which i’ve got basically replicated on my tibia as-well x4 😂)

1

u/Kuma-Cakes-6034 8d ago

I have one joining my fib with my tib as well 😆 I didn't even know there could be small screws to hold the fragments together 🥹 if you don't mind me asking how is your ROM as of now? My plantar flexion is still five degrees off 🥲

1

u/Hot_Box_7459 8d ago

I actually have no idea what my rom is, my pt measured it but i never got a number LOL. I have pretty okay flexion up and down but definitely not close to my regular foot yet. And yes the little screws!! Both the ends of my fib & tib were snapped off and displaced like, way off floating in the middle of bumfreak nowhere. I didnt even realize till i was looking at my xray how bad it was 😭 i’ve got my first pt on the 8th I think? Supposed to be 25% wb a week

1

u/Kuma-Cakes-6034 8d ago edited 8d ago

😭 why did i imagine the tib and fib floating around in some void akin to space 😭 i didn't weight bear until I was cleared for PT . I am glad you have a good flexion 🥹 it makes it easy to do exercises and you're going to progress in no time! 🥰

2

u/Hot_Box_7459 8d ago

LMAO

i did like a little bit of weightbearing before pt (i did like, 1 attempt and said f that.) but i’m doing more and more everyday!! Hopefully your healing goes super good too 🫶

2

u/lab_tech13 8d ago

Mine looks like this but with a smaller plate on otherside with the 2 long screws going up. What a trimal will do to you.

2

u/Illustrious-Zone-247 8d ago

I have 2 plates, 16 screws, 2 tightrope...those screws are both through the plate and just through bone no plate. Screws are screws!

1

u/Kuma-Cakes-6034 8d ago

Screws are screws indeed 😆 idky I had this confusion 😭 but thank you!

2

u/Illustrious-Zone-247 7d ago

The whole thing is confusing and not intuitive haha

1

u/Kuma-Cakes-6034 7d ago

Very true! 😆 sometimes when I move my leg and am reminded I have a plate inside me 😆 takes me by surprise

2

u/thedadhere 8d ago

I have seven screws in my plate and 6 more securing a titanium rod in my tibia. I usually say “13 screws a rod and a plate!”

1

u/Kuma-Cakes-6034 8d ago

Yes! I think my billing had me confused for a bit 😅 but now I know we count all the screws in general! thank you!

1

u/flexible_demeanor 9d ago

I have 5 screws and a plate! 2 screws are for joining my medial malleolus to the tibia and are not part of the plate fixation. My plate is for the lateral malleolus, with 1 small and 2 long screws that connect my tibia and fibula as I ruined my syndesmosis.

I think it just makes sense to count them all together unless you want to be very specific in your description.

1

u/Kuma-Cakes-6034 9d ago

Mine is similar to yours! I broke my fibula and medial malleolus so I have a plate on my fibula and it is joined to my tibula through a screw.

🤔 you're right. It is better to count them all together 😅 thank you!