Update on broken tibia with ins. rod with new pics

[D-K]

Hey guys and gals and Dr. Mark!

I had an older thread, but it got pretty long so starting a new one here.

Here is the first thread:

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=826036&highlight=

I was in for a follow-up with my broken leg today. Got new x-rays taken of course. The doctor (ortopaedic) said that it was healing very good. He offered me the choice of leaving the rod in, or taking it out. But it would have to be in there for at least one year.

I think I´ll leave it in.

When he saw my adress he said: That´s my street! Turned out he lives just a couple houses down the street, kinda funny:thumbsup:

This is the first x-ray from the day of the operation:

This is the x-ray from today, 11 weeks later:

The fibula is a bit off, but you can see that it heals. It doesn´t give me any problems.

I had some swelling of the knee, and some pains, but it´s way better now. I can almost crouch down completely now. I can walk almost normal, the limping is as good as gone.

I even tried to run the other day, but jogging is about max what I can do.

I stopped with the painkillers 3 weeks ago.

I´m very pleased with the treatment and healing of the leg.

I cannot understand people who do not want to have surgery. The comeback is way faster, and the strength is not sacrificed from not putting weight on the leg for several weeks.

What is your opinion on the healing, and leaving the rod in Dr. Mark?

[DrMark]

it looks good and I would keep in the rod

[mxjeff575]

D-K,

that looks like it was a nasty break!! Good to see you are healing quick. I agree, surgery is not a big deal and the way to go.

Dr. Mark,

just curious, why didn't they put a plate or something on the fib to line it up. I'm surprised by how off it looks.

[D-K]

D-K,

that looks like it was a nasty break!! Good to see you are healing quick. I agree, surgery is not a big deal and the way to go.

It was nasty! Came through the skin and all... Loss of feeling on a big patch of skin too...

Worst pain ever... (comic book guy)

[patriot21]

Yeah....i am wondering too why they didn;t line up the other bone... looks like that would be a weak spot in the future???

[DrMark]

The fibula is only important up to eight centimeters from the ankle. Fixing it above that point just isn't necessary because it heals quickly and reliably.

[D-K]

Thanks for your time Dr. Mark:thumbsup:

[mxjeff575]

D-K...yikes....keep healing up.

Dr. Mark...sorry to hijack this thread....i was just curious. Why do they usually "rod" the femur ? Why don't they "plate" it like so many other bones?

Thanks for the info

[DrMark]

The results of rodding are typically better than platinng in he femur and tibia.

[D-K]

Femur and Tibia are the only "long and hollow" bones right? That´s probably the best way to fix a tube, which they are.

It would take big pieces of metal and a lot of screws to try to fix them from the outside, and they would only lead to complications.

[Yamaha8519B]

Surgery is definitely the way to go. I had the same break and was walking in about a month and racing again after 2. My friend broke his tibia and he went with a cast and it took months to heal.

Dr. Mark, what are the advantages/disadvantages of leaving the rod in versus taking it out. My leg is very strong but gets sore where the screws are, would having everything removed reduce soreness from exercise and racing? What is the typical recovery time from removal? Thanks.

[DrMark]

I the end of the rod isn't bothering a guy, there is no reason to take it out.

[manuelquintar]

very helpfull thread:)

[Chadimac22]

It was nasty! Came through the skin and all... Loss of feeling on a big patch of skin too...

Worst pain ever... (comic book guy)

Hey, did the feeling ever come back in the numb spots? I had a compound fracture in my tibia (butterfly fracture; broken in 3 places) and also broke my fibula. Now, I Have a pretty a decent size patch (5" or so) of numbness below the puncture site. Curious if you ever regained your feeling...

And yeah, it was the worst pain ever for me too...

[D-K]

Hey, did the feeling ever come back in the numb spots? I had a compound fracture in my tibia (butterfly fracture; broken in 3 places) and also broke my fibula. Now, I Have a pretty a decent size patch (5" or so) of numbness below the puncture site. Curious if you ever regained your feeling...

And yeah, it was the worst pain ever for me too...

It´s already much better. I have the feeling back to normal.

I did have a bigger problem back in June though, my knee joint locked! Could not straighten my leg at all. Intense pain when trying to walk or straighten it.

Had to get a lift home from work, laid on the couch and after 7 hours it was back to normal. I couldn´t believe it.

Went to work next day and all was fine. Even rode 2 MX races and all was ok.

Then my knee locked again at night while I was sleeping!

Had to go to the emergency room that night. Everyone kept saying that my meniscus (sp?) was broken. I was like, when was this supposed to have happened?!

After some x-rays it became clear that the doctor who performed the operation had left some stuff in there. Debris of bone to be exact.

When looking very closely at the x-rays from after the surgery the pieces are visible, but just barely. Now the pieces were bigger and showed up better in the pics.

I was scheduled for another surgery, in 10 days! I had to go to work for 2 weeks without being able to straighten my leg. Not funny.

The surgeon who took the pieces out said they were big, over 20 mm´s. Which is 3/4". They said something about the pieces not being absorbed by the body becuase of the low amount of blood flow in the knee. Instead they had "calcified" and grown.

They also took a titanium screw out that had kept me from kneeling.

I rode after a week again, but my knee was littered with swollen lumps.

I had to buy me a pair of EVS RS8´s.

Then after a couple of weeks my knee began to feel much better. In fact, a WHOLE LOT better. Those pieces had been irritating the knee for almost a year and making it burn every time i put some strain on it.

Now it´s really good, the best it´s been in a whole year. I´m beginning to get my former speed back, even beating some 20 year olds again:thumbsup:

Have you ever left some stuff behind in a patient Dr. Mark?

[DrMark]

I don't actually understand the recent post, but I am sure I have left stuff behind that I would have best taken out, and have taken out stuff that I should have left behind. Doctors are fallable people, just like you.

[D-K]

No I perfectly understand that we all make mistakes. I never even considered suing or saying anything bad about the doctors who helped me.

I´m just glad that my leg and knee is ok, and that there is help to get. A 100 years ago I would probably have died from this injury.

What was it you did not understand? my description of the knee problem, or did it sound like I had a bad attitude? If so, it was never my intention.

[DrMark]

I didn't really understand the knee issue? Do you have arthritis with loose bony bodies that formed inside the knee?

[D-K]

I didn't really understand the knee issue? Do you have arthritis with loose bony bodies that formed inside the knee?

Ah ok, no it was from when they put the rod in. When they drilled out the marrow canal, some "chip" was left in there.

So it was a problem caused by the operation.