Metallic Implant Removal

Why Should I Remove My Metallic Implant?

Metallic implant removal includes the extraction of screws, pins, or plates originally placed to stabilize bone during healing after a fracture or surgical correction. Most implants are well tolerated indefinitely, but some patients develop symptoms once the bone has fully healed and the hardware is no longer needed to hold anything in place.

Leading manufacturer Synthes® states that metallic implants can loosen, fracture, corrode, migrate, cause pain, or stress shield bone even after a fracture has healed, particularly in young, active patients.

Diagnosis

X-rays confirm that the bone has fully healed and show the position and condition of the hardware. Dr. Moy also examines the area for tenderness directly over the implant, since pain that's localized to the hardware itself, rather than the surrounding bone or joint, is the strongest sign that removal will help.

Treatment

While the surgeon must make the final decision on implant removal, we recommend that whenever possible and practical for the individual patient, fixation devices should be removed once their service as an aid to healing is accomplished. The procedure itself is generally more straightforward than the original surgery, since it involves extracting existing hardware rather than correcting a deformity.

What are the Benefits?

The procedure may:

• reduce swelling
• reduce pain coming from the head of the screw rubbing on soft tissue

When to See a Surgeon

If you have hardware from a prior fracture or surgery that's become painful, prominent under the skin, or irritated by shoes once healing is complete, it's worth discussing whether removal makes sense for you.