Screws in my foot.

contender*

Senior Member
Due to my recent bike accident I had to have several screws in my foot. Everything has healed well and today while at the orthopedic doc he asked if I wanted the screws out. I told him I didn't know and asked why would I want them taken out? Well, he said that they would eventually break but I probably wouldn't know it. He said there would be no ill effects from leaving them in. So here's my question. For those of you that have had similar (or know someone that has) should I leave them or have them removed?
 

Sargent

Senior Member
I have two screws in each femur. They have been there since I was 9 (left side) and 10 (right side). I am 36.

No ill effects that I know of. No metal detectors going off or anything like that.
 

contender*

Senior Member
I also have screws in my right leg (tibia plateau) he said there was no reason to remove those because they wouldn't break. I guess the reason he asked about removal was because they would break but then couldn't give me any idea of ill effects if they are not removed when they do break.:huh::huh:
 

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JustUs4All

Slow Mod
Staff member
Don't know about feet, but I have two screws through radius bone near my right wrist. They went in when I was 31 and I am fast closing in on 61. They have given me no trouble.
 

baass

Senior Member
I have 2 steel plates and 8 screws in my right ankle. They have been in there since i was 16 im now 35. I have had some trouble, my new doctor said they should have been took out when i was young. Everybody is different you may be fine leaving yours in good luck on the recovery.
 

contender*

Senior Member
PM sent Baass
 

bsanders

Senior Member
I broke my ankle in the 10th grade playing football and had to have 3 screws put in and when my senior year started they started to push(unscrew) out, so i had them removed and have had no problems. You'll know if they decide to unscrew, it isn't the best feeling.
 

bany

Senior Member
I know a guy who has one coming out of his foot/ankle. looks hidious, doesn't seem to bother him much i geuss. i 'd get them out!
 

CAL

Senior Member
I would get more opinions from Doctors who should know what they are talking about if it were my foot.Good luck with your decision and your recovery.

May I say if they are removed,you don't have to worry about them any more.
 

short stop

Senior Member
I have em in both feet as well . My ankles light up like a Christmas tree on Dec 25 th on the xray -- so dont feel alone .
Mine actually are there to hold my ankle in place -- about 5 Screws in each . Looks very simular just add a few more directly thru the top to the heel bone .
Had to wait till my foot stopped growing after they got crushed and pounded playing ball in School .
Age 17-18 was the worst 2 yrs for me -- spent 2 yrs learning to walk agin after each surgery 6 months in cast . Always worried about them but Ive never had a problem yet .
So mine are NEVER COMING OUT --NO side effects yet other than my ankle will never pivot again . That was nearly 20 yrs ago and Im still kickin
mine are stainless -- Dr 's told me they would never break .
 

BkBigkid

Senior Member
looking at the X-ray and seeing where the screws are at, I thinking it will be very simple for them to remove them there in the office no major surgery.

If it was me I would having them pulled. if there is a slim possibility that they may break or back out and I can do it now with little pain instead of waiting years or months to go through it again, I would have them removed now instead of guessing what if!
 
I have eight in my femur.

Doctor told me he could take them out. I knew what it took to put them in, so I respectfully declined.

No problems, no pain associated with the screws or plate.

The less cutting they do on me the happier I am.
 

tv_racin_fan

Senior Member
I'd say it would depend on the location and if they are giving you a problem. I have screws and a plate in one ankle and screws and a bar in the other leg. Same doctor did both operations and told me he could take em out if I wanted but I wouldn't enjoy the pain, he told me I could elect to leave them in and probably never have an issue with them. Best I could get out of him was if it were him knowing what he knows he would leave em in, so that was my choice.
 

Goddard

Senior Member
I had 13 screws and a plate put in my ankle/leg about 6 years ago due to a fall out of a climber. After 11 months I developed a funky infection in my leg that they couldn't get rid of because they said it is very difficult with foreign objects are in your body. The only option was to remove all hardware from my leg. The surgery was out patient and it was a MUCH easier recovery than when they put it in.
 

huntfish

Senior Member
One of my friends is a team orthopedic for the Dallas Cowboys who gave me this advice about the screws in my hand when my MD wanted to take them out. He told me that both the surgery and rehab would be about the same when they reconstructed my hand. Unless it is bothering you, don't remove them.
 

30 06

Senior Member
I agree with Huntfish, leave them in unless they give you trouble. I have screws in my left foot, and right knee neither give me any trouble. I think the surgery and rehab would be more trouble than its worth. just my 2 cents.
 

56willysnut

Senior Member
I was thinking it will be very simple for them to remove them there in the office no major surgery

I shattered my left heel(one plate and seven screws) in a fall from a tripod stand back in '96. I was having alot of pain one year later and was told they would take them out if I wanted. I asked about whether it was an outpatient type procedure and was told no due to it being screw removal from bone- Doc said he couldn't deaden the bone, so screw removal without being knocked out wasn't an option. I was out of work for another three weeks after that, so if it's giving you pain get them removed, if not leave them in.
Also alot depends on your situation and pain tolerance level.
 

bat

Senior Member
If they are a breakable type screw, how do they get them out "if" they do break?? I would think it would be much easier to remove them now while the head was still attached... if you think you need to. I've got one screw in my right shoulder, two staples in the left knee.
 

TaxPhd

Senior Member
I have a titanium plate and 11 screws in my leg. Spiral fracture of the Tibia in a motorcycle accident. Four of the screws broke during intense rehab.

My doctor said that he only removes 5% or so of the hardware he puts in. You only need to do it if it is giving you problems.
 

bighonkinjeep

Senior Member
1 plate 4 screws, Hurt so bad going in I wasn't goin' through that again to have em removed. Minor discomfort occasionaly especially in bitter cold but other than that I'm OK
Good luck with yours.
 
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