When can you remove screws from a prior surgery?

Many of the surgeries we do as orthopedic surgeons involve putting implants of some sort into the body. For broken bones, like a tibia fractures, we often insert rods, screws or plates. In this Ask Dr. Geier video, I answer the question of a reader who wonders when he can have the surgeon remove screws from his ankle.

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Ruben asks:

Hi, doctor. Two questions:

I’m 28 years old, and it has been 13 months since my tibia/fibula fracture due to a car accident. I have two screws on the upper part of the tibia close to the knee, and two close to my ankle (they hold the rod in place). Only one screw bothers me. Is 13 months enough time to be able to take that one screw out?

I’m sure that this would be a simple day surgery, but will I be able to go back to work right away after taking the screw out?

Surgery to treat a tibia fracture often involves the surgeon placing a rod or nail down the center of the bone. We lock the rod at the top and bottom with screws to control rotation of the rod so that the fracture heals. Occasionally the locking screws can become proud and irritate the patient.

In this video, I talk about surgeries to remove screws, plates and other hardware, when surgeons typically like to do it, and what recovery of that procedure entails.

[DrDavidGeier]

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[richardhigby]

2021 intramedullary nail placement for a spiral fracture of the tibia (and broken fibula). Had 5 locking screws placed plus one front to back in my ankle to secure a broken off bit in the tibia. Was able to resume cycling, hiking at a rigorous level with some after workout pain around the locking screws in my knee and ankle. Elected to have all of the screws (6) removed after 3 years and leave the nail in place. Outpatient surgery took the morning with the afternoon pretty trashed from the general anesthesia and nerve block. Will have to see what this does in terms of comfort after a few months. I really appreciate both my surgical teams at Univ of Virginia trauma care.

[biblebloopers]

It's awesome how this doctor says at the end that he wants to hear from you so make your comments but he never responds to anyone

[lashawnyasnead]

I broke my tibia and fibia and cracked my ankle on New Years Eve 2022 . I had surgery January 6 and I was in a wheelchair for almost 2 months. It's now July 2023 and July 31 I have my hardware removal surgery. I hope that this helps me and the pain that I have been in

[KaitSorenson]

I'm almost 25 years old and it will have been five years since my tibial nailing. When I first had the procedure done, my doctor informed me about how the rod would probably never come out but the screws have had a history of bothering people. But, he said that it's up to each person's tolerance in regards to any pain from the screws. That's been bad for me, because I've never wanted to feel like I'm overdramatic. So, in a couple weeks, I'm finally seeing my doctor about it. I'm hoping that he will tell me that the pain that I've been experiencing is directly from the screws and that it will most likely stop if they're taken out. I really miss playing soccer and running tough mudders well and either want the screw problems to go away or to get a nice shin guard to protect them.

[kkitty]

This is great. I was worried about having to recover all over again after they’re removed

[janerobles]

Please tell me how long the recovery. Is after the rod comes out of the bone from a tibia break

[stevewise]

I was talked into a tibia osteotomy in 2004 to allegedly help with pain in my knees. Unfortunately, the surgery went sideways and the bone didn’t heal for two years and I’ve had pain ever since. I only have two screws in my tibia and believe they’re causing shearing and related pain. I was an athlete and this has limited my ability to run and walk without searing pain. I went yo one orthopedic surgeon and he said I have “muddy bone” and was afraid to remove the pins. I see no reason the bone won’t heal after the screws are removed, as I don’t have either osteoporosis nor osteopenia.

[anibor]

I have a trimalleolar on my left leg/ankle. I broke it and had ORIF in February of 2018. I have a total of 1 plate and 12 screws, 3 of which are long screws with one being a syndesmosis screw. Two screws in my inner ankle are going to be coming out because they are unscrewing and causing problems wearing a shoe. I requested to leave the plate and small screws, along with my broken syndesmosis screw. My reason is that the plate is on the leg bone that requires no weight bearing with my original ORIF and with my body weight I worry about additional breaks in the future. The doctor was more than willing to do it this way. Plus I did not want my outer leg cut open again if it wasn’t a bother. The bone will just grow around the syndesmosis screw, so no need for that removal. My surgery will probably be within the next month because this doctor is trying to get records from my prior surgeon to know the details as well as screw size he used.

[osbornestyle]

I brack my tibia and fibula in a ruck March had a rod and 3 screws placed in my leg it took 6 months to heal I did physical therapy Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and got back to training and I listened to what they told me to do to a t

[yvonne]

I broke my ulna in 2019 in 2 places. I have a plate on each side from elbow to wrist overlaping the bone in the middle. Unfortunately, I've had recurring cellulitis in the area where they overlap. I'm set to have them removed Monday morning.

[LisaJones-gejq]

I had a compound fracture on my hand and after multiple surgeries a plate was implanted in 2017. I'm experiencing pain and the doctor thinks it's due to the tendon rubbing over it. He also explained there's a risk of the tendon rupturing. X-rays confirm that the fracture has healed. What is the healing process like after the plate is removed?

[ivylariz]

My son 25 year old have a small fracture fibula in the ankle and the orthopedic recommended to see the foot dr., for surgery. The foot dr. Says that it needs surgery with plates and screws. Have you worked on on that small fracture and needed to do surgery and apply screws and plates.

[clamant]

I have a client who has a fractured tibia and fibula. He has hardware surgery done to hold them all together and he’s wearing a moon boot. It’s been a week he’s been in it and he wants to go out for his community access. He is wheelchair bound and he rests his leg on the foot rest. Just wanted to know if that’s okay for him. Hope to hear from you soon.

[Sir_Noble_Long_D]

Why would you want to take them out? I feel like a cyborg with mine

[vivianolaedo]

Hello doc, I hv a screw in my tibia close to my knee it bee almost two years and I want to remove it, I am scared it’s gonna take long to hear as I am working and I hope it finally flexes well and extends more

[famestunnaz]

I had a tib/fib fracture in March 2022 got the rod installed with screws now in June just had the screws taken out cause of an infection now I have to fight the infection and get the screws installed again later is what I was told

[kirokikz]

hello doctor may i know what type of procedure use my doctor here in my broken medial and lateral condyle in my tibia.thank you

[Sachin-jujs]

Its been 10 weeks of my tibia and fibula surgery doctor put a rod in my tibia with 2 screw right next to knee and 2 just above the ankle so my question is when i can put weight on broken leg and second thing is my ankle is stiffed what to do now? Please answer my question

[janmorton]

i ws an atheletic child and had injuries resulting in surgery. A staple was left in my left knee presumably to hold the tendon in place. this was in the late 60s or so. i do not recll when exactly. The staple seems to cause me a lot of problems, knee reacting with fibroma, edema and now as mentioned to you before both knees (surgeried) have dislocations lying flat laterally. It is not easy to put them in place. i do not want surgery. i would prefer them to be "reduced" closed. But they left one seems lodged in place. i have been doing yoga, kicking in the water withlittle pain but a lot of discomfort if jarred eg i cannot walk however as the knees are at about a 60' angle most of the time. i fear white coats so this situation seems impossible to solve. ...Any suggestions especially about the staple. is it there forever? if they went in anyway would they be wise to remoe it?