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Has anyone had a plate removed?

Posted , 3 users are following.

margie41357
margie41357

I have to get my plate removed on the top of my foot as it hurts and interferes with my ankle mobility. Has anyone had this done. What is the recovery like ? Can you put a shoe on the next day? My doc says it is an easy procedure and there is no down time. He has been way off the mark on his predictions of recovery time so I don't really believe him anymore. I would think another incision would swell and hurt for at least a week or two.

1 like, 17 replies

17 Replies

  • marian01540
    marian01540 margie41357

    Posted

    Hi Margie,

    I' m having my screws removed from my ankle 27/4 my doctor said I would be fine after the operation and that I would be up and walking in no time. Only time will tell.

    • margie41357
      margie41357 marian01540

      Posted

      Well let me know how it goes. I think you will only have a very small incision with screws. My plate is about 4 cm so the incision will be about 6 cm to remove it. My other incisions took so long to heal other than the small one for the screw in my heal, I just hope this will be faster. I had 4 incisions in all, as I had my Achilles done and a bone graft as well as the plates and screws.

      Good luck to you!

      Margie

  • marian01540
    marian01540 margie41357

    Posted

    Hi Margie,

    Had my screws removed yesterday, everything seemed fine. In lots of pain when I got back home, phoned surgeon he said to take more pain relief. He will phone me today to see how I am, slept well, so I should have with all the painkillers I had. Will keep you informed.

    • helen00131
      helen00131 marian01540

      Posted

      Hi Margie,

      I will get my 8 screws and 1 plate remove in 22 June.

      Please keep posting how are you going after the removal.

      Thank you!

      Helen

  • marian01540
    marian01540 margie41357

    Posted

    Hi Margie,

    It's now four days since the screws came out, still in some pain, however, not as bad as the actual day. Keeping it up and iced, it hurts more when my leg is down, blood flow I suppose. See the surgeon tomorrow, hopefully all good. 

     

    • helen00131
      helen00131 marian01540

      Posted

      Hi Margie,

      Thank you for the information. Good luck with your recovery. Please keep your progress posted. I am very interested in knowing that how long would take to be able to walk again after the surgery of hardware removal. I have reserved 3.5 weeks for the recovery time when I having the screws removed at the end of June. I am not sure if there is enough time.

      Cheers,

      Helen

    • helen00131
      helen00131 marian01540

      Posted

      Hi Marian!

      Just wondering how are you progressing after the screws out. Can you walk unaided?

      Best wishes!

      Xufang

    • marian01540
      marian01540 helen00131

      Posted

      Hi Helen,

      At the moment I am not walking or weight bearing,It is now 6 days it still hurts like hell. This is the most pain I have been in an this is my 6th operation. I go and see the surgeon today. So will keep you posted.

      Cheers

      Marian

       

    • marian01540
      marian01540

      Posted

      After having been to the surgeon he says that I am healing well, apparently my bones healed too well over the screws, hence the pain I am in. He has removed all plasters I am back in the boot and weight bearing, a little hard this afternoon, however, sure it will get better, slowly. Also have painkillers, lots of brusing, which I didnt expect, the surgeon said it is soft tissue damage so shouldn't take to long to heal.

      Fingers crossed. 

    • helen00131
      helen00131 marian01540

      Posted

      Thank Marian for the update.

      I am sure you will get better after all the hardware have been removed.

      May I please ask why you had so many operations? Also, how long the screws have been in?

      I had ORIF on the 1st of Dec. 2016. By the time, 22nd June, the hardware scheduled for removal, the hardware will be in my body for almost 7 months. I hope that won't be too long for the bone to grow into it.

      Wish you speedy recovery!

      Helen

    • marian01540
      marian01540 helen00131

      Posted

      Hi Helen,

      I started out with an arthroscopy which debried some of the mess in my ankle, after 12 months I was still in severe pain so a second arthroscopy was done which removed a piece of bone that had been causing me all the grief. I thought everything was right, then early last year my ankle started spasming (locking) and then I would limp for a while after that, another arthroscopy to clean up again, unfortunately this time it go infected and damaged the bone. I was put in for another arthroscopy and clean, after that my ankle did get better. So in January this year an ankle fusion was done as there was no other choice to be taken. Fusion has worked well, however, I had difficulty walking after and was limited in what I could do. The surgeon said if we take out the screws you will be fine. Well I hope I am, I had the cast off yesterday my lower leg and ankle are black and blue and it hurts a lot. He said that becuase it is soft tissue it shouldnt take long to be ok . I tried some weight bearing with the boot last night it will be a long slow process. 

    • helen00131
      helen00131 marian01540

      Posted

      Hi Marian,

      I am very sorry to hear that. I hope your pain will very ease soon. How did everything start? Did you break your ankle?

      My experience for recovery is to keep the foot up as much as you can - take every possibility, and cooling as well.

      I really wish you getting better every day.

      kind regards,

      Helen

    • marian01540
      marian01540 helen00131

      Posted

      Hi Helen,

      It was never broken just badly damaged after a fall, for the first 12 months it was treated as a sprained ankle that never got any better. I am just glad that it was eventually taken seriously and that fingers crossed this will be my last op and I will be able to do all the things I have been unable to do for the last 4 years. 

      Helen, I do think I'm getting better each day, this op was so different to all my others, I didn't expect the amount of pain I had, the brusing is something to be seen. Bit unsteady in the boot however, Im sure I will achieve much over the next week.

      Cheers and thanks for the support.

      Marian

       

    • helen00131
      helen00131 marian01540

      Posted

      Hi Marian,

      How are you making progress lately? Are you able to walk unaided now?

      Hope you have made good recovery.

      Regards,

      Helen

    • marian01540
      marian01540 helen00131

      Posted

      Hi Helen,

      Progress is slow, I am walking in boot  only, Need to take things slow, can cook dinner, do some shopping, perhaps an hour at a time then need down time. 

      Cheers

      Marian

       

    • helen00131
      helen00131 marian01540

      Posted

      Hi Marian,

      Thank you for the update. Take easy. Don't push too hard. As long as it doesn't get worst, it will get better. It is the matter of time.

      Wish best wishes!

      Helen

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