Collarbone plate removal.

You broke your shoulder blade / scapula, correct? I broke mine also when I broke my c5 and c7 vertebrae. My doc said they don’t do anything for it other than wearing a brace/sling to help stabilize and let it heal and I guess since my collar bone was getting plated anyway they knew my arm would be in a sling for awhile so they did nothing with my scapula. But I guess that would also involve the severity of the break/damage or displacement etc. Mine still gives me a minor ache from time to time. I’m sure it has nothing with me getting old. LOL

 

I've had mine since 2008. I feel it occasionally doing dips at the gym, but it goes away after getting "stretched out".

 

No, just a collarbone, as far as I know.

 

My surgeon tells me he really doesn't like to take them out unless it's absolutely necessary. The holes from the screws actually weaken the bone and it won't ever heal up completely. He said he'd only ever removed one and that was a small framed Asian lady and it bothered her constantly.

Also consider they cut through nerves to get at it in the first place. Tingling, numbness, etc isn't going to get any better since the nerves are severed and going in a second time might make it worse.

 

Mines been in 12 years. It typically doesn't bother me unless something hard comes into contact with it. I can't imagine the cost to take it out. Not worth it IMO.

 

Ive had mine since Sept 2009. 1 plate 6 screws. Went back to the Ortho who did the surgery (and a few others) about a year + ago telling him it hurts frequently and constantly aches.

He gets an x-ray, says it healed perfectly, then proceeds to tell me, he could take it out, cause possibly more nerve damage and make a weak color bone, or he could leave it in and I could man up!

I left it in... aches right now as I type this.

At this point its just pain and I have learned to ignore it and turn it off.

 

jan of 2001 (i would have been 34) shattered my right wrist, 2 plates 6 screws, they said unless it bothers you, it all stays forever. march of 2019, my index finger "popped", and then drooped down. saw surgeon, screw loosened (found broken when they went in), and cut the tendon. he was going to remove it all but, when he started only 4 screws were accessible. he did remove those. started on the plate, and it was so grown into the bone, he would have to break it, to get it all. he left the plates, and the 2 end screws.

for the doc saying the bone wouldnt heal after removing hardware, that is B.S. they use a hollow drill bit and take a plug out of the bone, and then the body fills it in with calcium. it may take awhile, and a collar bone isnt very big in diameter so, it may not be the easiest heeling, as you have a void, until it regrows so, you have a chance to break it again at the hardware site until it fully heals. i am guessing the surgeon just didnt want the chance it would break after, or during surgery but, gave a good story to appease you. your results may vary.

the current ortho says they leave them in for a year or two, then remove the hardware. he cited infections, and what happened to me as the leading culprit, not discomfort. Ski

 

Is that what we are calling ‘it’ now?

 

6 screws and a plate in since 2004. No issues and no plans on having it removed.

 

Ppffttt...Plates..screws..Broke my left one 3 times now..No biggie,just a lump of shit knot,and daily pain,and no sleep over an hour at a time..You guys,and your surgery's and plates,and screws and insurance,and living comfortably..I choose to be miserable,and hurt daily,aint no queer doctor gonna put metal in me!! Unless it's Heavy Metal!! Hail SLAYER!!

 

You know what I want to know? How the heck have Pedrosa and Lorenzo (and a few others) dealt with this? Pedrosa broke his collarbones a dozen times (it seems), and he broke one last time just while doing push ups (or similar)! Lorenzo broke his, had it plated, raced a few days later, then crashed a few weeks later and bent the plate! What the heck do those guys do for treatment? Surely scar tissue, nerve damage and general pain are issues for them too!?

 

Fuckin A