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Plate & screw removal from broken wrist

Posted , 13 users are following.

elaine93514
elaine93514

Hi, for anybody out there who has broken their wrist resulting in plate & screws being inserted. After 10 months of intense physio I am still unable to bend my wrist forward or backwards & can only move a few fingers but cannot make a fist.

?I am due for an op tomorrow to have the plate & screws removed & wondered if anybody else has gone through this & what was the outcome.

I am extremely nervous as this will be done by local anaesthetic.

?I was told to prepare myself for a lot of pain once the nerve block for my arm wears off. However, if anybody found this op a great relief & experienced much more movement after intense physio again I would appreciate any info or advice please.

Regards

2 likes, 43 replies

43 Replies

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  • MrsGibbo
    MrsGibbo elaine93514

    Posted

    Hi. I broke my left wrist June 2017. Ended up with a plate and 6 screws. I feel I'm very lucky as I have got really good movement and use of hand. My problem was that 2 of the screws were too long and were causing inflammation of the tendon. Not unbearable and I could live with the niggling constant pain but was told there was a risk of the tendon rupturing!! Scary! 

    So I went back into surgery today to have metalwork removed. At the moment I'm feeling very optimistic but time will tell as I expect the drugs are masking any pain. Just hope this is the end of it all.

    • jean11098
      jean11098 MrsGibbo

      Posted

      MrsGibbo - Good luck, hope the surgery went well.  Please keep us posted. This sounds exactly like my situation except I broke mine in January 2018.  Looking at surgery to remove the hardware at the end of the year.  Would like to keep up with how your recovery goes.  I've  been told the surgery is much easier and rehab much shorter.  As always, I am skeptical.

    • MrsGibbo
      MrsGibbo jean11098

      Posted

      All went very smoothly. Home a few hours after operation. All metalwork removed according to plan. Since being home I haven’t needed to take any painkillers. The pain from the inflamed tendon has gone. Sore wound but easily managed. Very happy at the moment. Been told not to lift anything heavy and to take it easy for a couple of weeks. Seeing surgeon again in June. Fingers crossed.  
    • jean11098
      jean11098 MrsGibbo

      Posted

      Wow!  That sounds very encouraging!  Glad it went well and so happy you don't need the painkillers.   I'll be following your progress.  Good Luck!

    • stephen64418
      stephen64418 MrsGibbo

      Posted

      This is exactly what happened to me, plate help the wrist heal, then niggling pain and painkillers until inwent back and was told the plate was sawing through the tendons. After plate was out less pain straight away. Has been about 7 months now, have been doing execrise in the gym to help push the flexibilty and have gone from being almost unable to bend the wrist to being able to bend enough to do a normal pushup on the ground
  • mary73834
    mary73834 elaine93514

    Posted

    I thought that it was getting better, then I wake up in the morning with sharp pains in my wrist joint and on the back side where the plate was put. I have to wait until October to have the plate removed. Has anyone been told they need to wait a year before the plate can be removed?

     

    • stephen64418
      stephen64418 mary73834

      Posted

      No, my plate was removed after around 8/9 months. Decision was based on plate damaging the tendons.
    • s30742
      s30742 mary73834

      Posted

      I was told to wait for atleast an year to get them removed only if I wish to do so. So far (3 months approx) there were no side effects others from plate/screws otherthan tightness and im still working on flexibility.
    • jean11098
      jean11098 mary73834

      Posted

      I was told it depends on how well the bone has healed and bone density.  My surgeon wants it pretty solid to avoid additional breaks since the bone will be weaker at the screw holes until they fill in.  I was told it would be at least 10 months for me (it's been 4 1/2) but he is monitoring my healing.

  • MrsGibbo
    MrsGibbo elaine93514

    Posted

    My surgeon wanted to wait until nearly a year. I had a CT scan so he could check on the healing. He decided to go ahead at 11 months as he was concerned the screws  could make the tendon rupture!! 

    A week after removal and the original pain has gone. Wrist is still a little sore and I am being very careful not to put too much stain on it. 

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