WWYD? remove titanium plate & screws from collarbone or not?

What is the downside of having them removed?

It seems to me that this is a medical question, specific to your case......not something to decide on the basis of stories and opinions from people who may have had somewhat similar medical experiences. How the bone was broken, how it was repaired, how it has healed, your personal health status, and the probable pros and cons of removing the particular type of hardware you have need to be discussed with your surgeon and considered. What is involved in removing the hardware? Sounds like another surgery. What are the possible downsides?

If need be, seek a second opinion from another surgeon. I don't think opinions from an internet BB are the best way to decide this.

On 10/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

It seems to me that this is a medical question, specific to your case......not something to decide on the basis of stories and opinions from people who may have had somewhat similar medical experiences. How the bone was broken, how it was repaired, how it has healed, your personal health status, and the probable pros and cons of removing the particular type of hardware you have need to be discussed with your surgeon and considered. What is involved in removing the hardware? Sounds like another surgery. What are the possible downsides?

If need be, seek a second opinion from another surgeon. I don't think opinions from an internet BB are the best way to decide this.

On 10/20/2014 Trevoli said:

What is the downside of having them removed?

You will have to recover from surgery a second time

I've had a radial head implant in my arm since 2003. It's going to be there for life.

On 10/20/2014 Helen Bach said:

I really need your stories and opinion about this one. Surgeon said the bone has healed and he'd be glad to remove the plate & screws, which do cause pain every day (I think, or else it's just that my clavicle got shattered 16 months ago) but I could also leave them in for the rest of my life. This was my first ever broken bone in my life, so I don't know what to do

All I have to offer is this. If you trusted this doctor enough to do this surgery, I would like to think you would trust his judgement in what would be the best for you concerning this issue.

Everyone is different, and while I can tell stories with the best of them! Consult your surgeon and go with what he says is best for you. And if you don't trust him? Get a 2nd or even a 3rd opinion.

While others stories can help many with lessening their mental pictures of upcoming procedures or surgeries! Stories do nothing concerning giving answers about something that is best done by the person who has done the work, or the 2nd opinion of another doctor that specializes in that field.

The distal radius fractures mentioned above with the attendant plate and screws do remain for life, unless problems arise. This bone not only is weight-bearing, as in carrying shopping bags on your forearm, but also bears weight when you fall, etc.

The clavicle, on the other hand, does not bear weight in that manner, though if fractured, pretty much makes the arm on that side rather useless until the fracture(s) have been plated and screwed. The clavicle is an important part of the shoulder girdle nonetheless. If it were me and my ortho could provide evidence (films) indicating that my clavicle was in fine shape and his professional opinion was that I would do fine without the hardware, I would have it removed.

There are not many cases in which a patient can have hardware removed once it's installed. If you decided to go with it, it may be a blessing in disguise.

When teaching our Resident Ortho physicians to apply hardward, they're always taught how to remove it as well.

There are a number of companies who manufacture plates and screws. They come in a rather large colored aluminum surgical tray which contains many sizes of screws, plates and the "tools" required to install and remove them. Most of the time, there is a surgical rep from the company who manufactured the plates and screws working side by side with the surgeon, as the reps actually can size a screw in many cases better than surgeons. These surgical techs are worth their weight in gold.

Just wanted you to know that there is a lot more behind the decision and the actual installation and removal of your hardware.

Good luck to you.