Fractured Tibia and Fibula (Broken Lower Leg Bones) with Fixation Surgery (cold, infection)

[momonguam]

1. Sorry to hear that these things are so common. You all affirm my pain, it was worse than childbirth! (((HUGS TO ALL)))

2. My fib/tib was May, 2006. I am . . . lets just say . . . over 50 (though still young at heart). Had open reduction and fixation June 1. 2 long screws in tib and plate with 5 screws in fib. 3 weeks in hospital and SNU, couple weeks PT (no hydro here, dang). I was declared 'functional' by end of August, though I used a cane (the only thing more humiliating than the wheel chair!!) for quite a while after that. Plus I still keep my 'transfer bench' in the tub for security, not really to transfer, just fear of slipping in the shower. No comfortable baths for me, too hard to climb out with 'the leg'.

3. I still have pain, stiffness, swelling and freak out at walking downhill but, with ankle brace, am back to walking but not like before. Can go about 1.5 miles, where I used to do up to 10. Icing and elevation after help alot, until I start feeling the metal from the inside, then its too creepy and hurts.

4. I still have to wear huge shoes to accomodate swelling but must be able to strap them tight around the other foot so they don't fall off. I tried a small high heel wedge once for about an hour at a special occasion. No high heels for me. I am now fixated on lovely strappy spikes I will never wear!

5. My real question is to anyone who has had their hardware removed. At first I thought my doctor said they could be removed in a short in-office procedure (must have been the drugs!) after 18 months. One post here said 2-3 years and one actually had them removed after 5 years. I will go crazy if I wait that long.

6. Before I start calling mainland (or PI) ortho-surgeons (I'm self pay) for prices, I'd really appreciate hearing from others regarding what they were told, what they did, and other advice. I can tell you I am not looking forward to another surgery and PT (and wheelchair!) but I really can't live with these things in my leg. They interfere with alot and feel gross. When/if I move back to colder climate they will be unbearable. TIA for any and all info/advice.

[rosekayani]

I wonder how you can see that? My doctor wanted to remove those, but seeing me still in pain, he suggested hip replacement which I do not want. Does she get clicking in her leg?

Originally Posted by eshon

My Daughter Had Tib/fib Fractures And The Doc Used Two Plates And Nine Screws To Repair. Shouldn't The Screws Be Flush With The Plates? You Can Actually See The Screw Heads Under The Skin. No Mention Of Future Removal Has Been Suggested By Her Doctor.

[rosekayani]

Can you please tell me why it was removed so much later?

Originally Posted by skyegirl

Hi Eshon! I had a head on collision in 1992, and broke just about everything!
(also managing to die twice on the operating table)! I had a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula, which was fixed by inserting the plates and 10 screws. As a petite woman, 5'3", 100lbs, I had a problem...the plates were too large for me, seriously! (my DR said this to me after the fact)! Long story short...I had the plate and screws removed 6 years later and what a difference!!! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is having pain and are fully healed, obviously. I also had a pin and screws in my femur (sp?)
that were removed 3 after years...the pin had been rubbing into my hip bone, and was causing scar tissue I guess...hope this helped, Good luck to your daughter!!!

[rosekayani]

I broke my hip on 9th November 2006. I am still in pain and can not walk without my crotches. I was fixed with a plate and screw. I was in hospital for 6 weeks. According to x-rays and city scan, I am fine, apart from some arthritis they have noticed, but I still have a lot of pain. I have a lot of muscell wastage. I had broken my arm at the time and it was in plaster for two months. It meant I could not use crotches till then. They were going to take my plate & screw out at first, but now that I have pain, they want to cut my losses and replace my hip but they say I am too young for it. What do you think? I am ok sometimes, meaning sometimes I can walk without crotches but with a limp. I can also walk in water. Would swimming help? Will I ever walk again? Should I have the operation after all?
Thank you for your help
Rose

[altered_ego4]

Originally Posted by eshon

My Daughter Had Tib/fib Fractures And The Doc Used Two Plates And Nine Screws To Repair. Shouldn't The Screws Be Flush With The Plates? You Can Actually See The Screw Heads Under The Skin. No Mention Of Future Removal Has Been Suggested By Her Doctor.

I understand what you are talking about, i don't have plates in my leg but i have a rod the full length (same break). The screws are troublesome and yes i can see the screw heads, and feel them sticking out of the bone by close to a quarter of an inch. I am told thats the way that they are supposed to be, i am assuming that they are like that for easier removal, and so your bones won't grow over the screws (not sure if that is possible, but at least it sounds good to me) I know that because of the tendency of the screws to be uncomfortable to people my doctor told me that i can have mine removed once the bones have healed properly fortunately. I am assuming that her break was close to the ankle?

[tigger 3315]

Hello On September 26th A Women Ran Me Into A Brick Wall Breaking Both My Tibias And Fibias. It Is Now Dec 24 And I Am Walking On One Leg With Walker And Am Just Starting Doing Stairs. I Just Started Having Pain In One Of The Knees. I Think It Is Where A Screw Is. Did You Experience This.

[Yar]

hello,

I had a lil...well, maybe not so little but you guys seem to all be in the same boat...a mishap. Long story short, I was wrestling with a friend at a cabin and his feet slipped right when I was trying to pull him down. I basically powerslammed him onto my shin. I broke my fibula and my tibia was fractured in 3 places with one of the pieces cut through my skin. Luckily my friends did all the right things and after an hour, was in an ambulance. Only problem was that I was in Canada and the nearest hospital was in Rosseau, Minnesota. I eventually got transefered to Winnipeg(3 hours) and had surgery the next morning. They put a titanium rod in my tibia with 2 screws. After 5 nights in the hospital(kinda funny, my roomate in the hospital had the EXACT same break on the same leg and the exact same surgery...immidiately after me... so it was nice to have someone to talk to that really understood), I got to go home. About 2 weeks after my surgery, they removed the 19 staples and the stretches got a lot easier. I should also mention that I don't have a cast, just a tensor band for the swelling.
I am now 37 days into recovery and I feel pretty good. My leg is still constantly swollen but I have been doing my physio excercises everyday and can now bend my leg and straighten almost as much as my good leg with very little discomfort. In fact, last night I slept on my stomache for the first time which was AWESOME!!! hehehe. Anyway, my question is, how long should I be expecting my leg to be swollen still? I keep it elevated all night and everytime I am sitting. Should I be icing it while sitting too?
Thanks for letting me vent and to talk to others that understand just how painful this is.

Merry Christmas and happy healing new year!!!

[kissingurami]

Originally Posted by momonguam

1. Sorry to hear that these things are so common. You all affirm my pain, it was worse than childbirth! (((HUGS TO ALL)))

5. My real question is to anyone who has had their hardware removed. At first I thought my doctor said they could be removed in a short in-office procedure (must have been the drugs!) after 18 months. One post here said 2-3 years and one actually had them removed after 5 years. I will go crazy if I wait that long.

6. Before I start calling mainland (or PI) ortho-surgeons (I'm self pay) for prices, I'd really appreciate hearing from others regarding what they were told, what they did, and other advice. I can tell you I am not looking forward to another surgery and PT (and wheelchair!) but I really can't live with these things in my leg. They interfere with alot and feel gross. When/if I move back to colder climate they will be unbearable. TIA for any and all info/advice.

hello,

i am 18 years old and i have just had my two screws removed today. it has been 16 months since my first surgery to put in a titanium rod and two screws.

however, my injury sounds a bit more mild compared to yours. fracture of tib/fib, skin was not broken.

while healing my leg during these 16 months i was very careful with it not to bump into anything. my doctor never put me in a hard cast. i was sent home after surgery all bandaged up and removed it after a week by myself, as he told me to over the phone. he gave me a kind of air cast, which looked to me more like a leg brace, only AFTER i requested some kind of protection for my leg.

i did not raise my leg as much as i should have. however, most of the bruising/ swelling have gone enormously down. i also had a PT nurse come into my home for about 10 visits?, but that was it. i continued my exercises at home afterward, but not much.

i don't know how long into my healing it was, but i know i started to put weight on my leg early. my doctor did not tell me it was okay, but i felt my body could handle it. i was also sick of feelng helpless and not being able to get around by myself. i'm not encouraging anyone to disobey their doctor's orders

pretty soon i was walking with one crutch while carrying plates of food on the other (yay) and doing things on my own. after a while i was able to just walk by myself, with a slight limp in my leg brace.

about a year after the surgery, i was not able to run completely. at this time i did a lot a walking just around the neighborhood. i also tried to jog a little bit. sometimes i would get a slightly sharp pain at the fracture site, and then i would stop and reduce to walking.

during this past month i have also been playing DDR (Dance Dance Revolution). it feels like it has strengthened my sense of balance + leg strength.

i was able to run well completely before this surgery to remove hardware today.

i hope all is well with others and wish you guys a speedy recovery.

[Yar]

For those of you that did Physio Therapy, how long after the accident did you start going? I am now exactly 6 weeks after the break(almost to the minute hehe) and have been doing the stretches/excersises that the doctor told me to do but am wondering if I could be doing more to speed it up or make the walking part easier. I'm not putting any weight on my leg just yet. My next doctor appointment is Feb. 4 but I want to do as much as I can do get better.
Suggestions?

[Rosevine03]

December 07. Fell off ladder bringing decorations down from loft! How stupid? Broke Tibia on the wavey shaped bit at the top, so had screws and plate put in. Other ankle badly bruised but not broken. Been scooting around house on portable commode (how disgusting eh?) but keep trying to hop on the zimmer, but cant go far.
That was 2 weeks ago and am getting fed up being inside! I get taken out in wheelchair now and then, by family but just how long does this take to mend????? Patience aint my strong point! Am taking Paracetamol at nights and going up and down stairs on foot and bottom, any hints for a quicker mode of travel? Tried a tea tray/skate board etc.
Anyone any advice?