Removal of orthopaedic hardware

After a fracture, the bone is often fixed with metal implants: screws, plates, nails or wires. This hardware holds the bone in the correct position while it heals. Once the fracture has healed, it no longer serves a purpose. Removal is not routine: many patients keep their hardware for life without any trouble. It is offered when the hardware is bothersome (pain, rubbing under the skin, difficulty wearing shoes), when temporary wires were used, in children and in some young adults, or when there is a complication such as infection. The operation is usually done through the old scar. The surgeon exposes the hardware and removes it. It is often simpler than the original fixation, but can be more delicate when the implants are old and covered by bone. At Clinique Pasteur Tunis, hardware removal is most often carried out as a day case. The surgeon first checks on X-rays that the bone has healed properly and explains the precautions to take after removal.