Tibia IM rod removal?

I’m a 43 male with 23 year ld  tibia rod surgery, plate and two bolts, I sometimes taste metal in my mouth!!!  Is this ok? Can rod be removed safely as bolts were after waiting this long

I’m a 43 male with 23 year ld  tibia rod surgery, plate and two bolts, I sometimes taste metal in my mouth!!!  Is this ok? Can rod be removed safely as bolts were after waiting this long

January 2022  -- I recently had Tibia IM rod removal at HSS in New York with Dr. Rozbruch.  I am one week out of surgery and still in pain but I am getting around the house.  Still have pain and strange lightning bolt feelings in the leg. I was discharged 2 hours after surgery.  The pain was worse than I anticipated but, the leg feels lighter and is already more flexible. I had the rod in for 15 years so the removal was quite a shock to the leg and had more bruising and pain than I anticipated.   I have two small scars in the knee ( that were reopened)  and just to the left of the knee.  Doc said to do what I can bear. I end up having good days and bad with a lot of elevation and icing the leg. My range of motion is so much better that I am not used to being to flexible in my ankles with my gait so that is getting some used to.  I have not walked the dog or gone for a true walk for 7 days post surgery.  I am taking it easy and eating anti-inflammatory foods (proteins and vegetables)  and taking bone-up calcium and eating some extra calcium in form of green tea ice cream. I hope this helps anyone out there that is contemplating surgery. 

Hi all - I wrote in this forum about 2 years ago and unfortunately I still have my rod in. Is anyone based in the UK and had success with their doctors to get them referred for this surgery. Every time my doctor is saying they won’t do it, it’s not needed as I have good mobility. This is so frustrating as I’m constantly aware the rod is there, still have ankle swelling and pain and can’t do really high impact sports. I’m desperate for this surgery but could afford private - already pay private for screw removal but the rod will be 10k plus - any advice would be greats 

L B wrote:

January 2022  -- I recently had Tibia IM rod removal at HSS in New York with Dr. Rozbruch.  I am one week out of surgery and still in pain but I am getting around the house.  Still have pain and strange lightning bolt feelings in the leg. I was discharged 2 hours after surgery.  The pain was worse than I anticipated but, the leg feels lighter and is already more flexible. I had the rod in for 15 years so the removal was quite a shock to the leg and had more bruising and pain than I anticipated.   I have two small scars in the knee ( that were reopened)  and just to the left of the knee.  Doc said to do what I can bear. I end up having good days and bad with a lot of elevation and icing the leg. My range of motion is so much better that I am not used to being to flexible in my ankles with my gait so that is getting some used to.  I have not walked the dog or gone for a true walk for 7 days post surgery.  I am taking it easy and eating anti-inflammatory foods (proteins and vegetables)  and taking bone-up calcium and eating some extra calcium in form of green tea ice cream. I hope this helps anyone out there that is contemplating surgery. 

The “shocks” in your leg do not occur when you bend your head foreword, correct ?  After I broke my leg, and had the rods removed, I developed Multiple Sclerosis a short time later, and would get shocks down both legs when I bent my head forward (called Lhermitte’s Sign, indicative of MS).  30 years later, doing fine, still ski a bit, lift weights.  If this is the case, see a neurologist.  I did all the research to see if tied to the EBI Bone healing device i had (worked by emittjng electro magnetic waves to heal bone), or the rods that were in my leg, as I have an identical twin that does not have MS.  I found no connection.  I broke my left Tib/Fib in 1988 on a motorcycle, and the MS primarily affected my left leg, but I regained 95% back from the 4 flare ups I had, and have been stable for the last 20 years or so.

Sara Fortune wrote:

Hi all - I wrote in this forum about 2 years ago and unfortunately I still have my rod in. Is anyone based in the UK and had success with their doctors to get them referred for this surgery. Every time my doctor is saying they won’t do it, it’s not needed as I have good mobility. This is so frustrating as I’m constantly aware the rod is there, still have ankle swelling and pain and can’t do really high impact sports. I’m desperate for this surgery but could afford private - already pay private for screw removal but the rod will be 10k plus - any advice would be greats 

It took a lot of persistence but I had my tibial nail removed this week after 2.5yrs. it was supposed to have been taken out last year but got pushed back due to the pandemic. The consultant was reluctant to remove it but I had a constant ache near the break site and ankle. Eventually they agreed and I was finally transferred to Nuffield for a private removal paid for by the NHS,, so I think it's a case of keeping asking and explaining the issues you're having. It was removed on Tuesday and just had a steady walk (Saturday) without crutches. Early days but the ache seems to have cleared and ankle feels more free.

Hello guys, my name is Saranya. Mine is a very sad story I’d say. I broke my left tibia in April 2020 and had a rod and four screws to get it fixed. I wanted to get it removed from the start. I was waiting for an year so that my bone would completely heal. But, in Nov 2020 I broke my right tibia and fibula. I had the same surgery again for my right leg. Now after 2 years for my left leg and almost 1 and a half year for my right leg, I want to get both of the rods and screws removed. The big question I have is can I get them both done at the same surgery? I don’t know if that’s possible but it would be very easy for me not to go back and forth again for both of those removed. 

Saranya Gogineni wrote:

Hello guys, my name is Saranya. Mine is a very sad story I’d say. I broke my left tibia in April 2020 and had a rod and four screws to get it fixed. I wanted to get it removed from the start. I was waiting for an year so that my bone would completely heal. But, in Nov 2020 I broke my right tibia and fibula. I had the same surgery again for my right leg. Now after 2 years for my left leg and almost 1 and a half year for my right leg, I want to get both of the rods and screws removed. The big question I have is can I get them both done at the same surgery? I don’t know if that’s possible but it would be very easy for me not to go back and forth again for both of those removed. 

Saranya Gogineni wrote:

Hello guys, my name is Saranya. Mine is a very sad story I’d say. I broke my left tibia in April 2020 and had a rod and four screws to get it fixed. I wanted to get it removed from the start. I was waiting for an year so that my bone would completely heal. But, in Nov 2020 I broke my right tibia and fibula. I had the same surgery again for my right leg. Now after 2 years for my left leg and almost 1 and a half year for my right leg, I want to get both of the rods and screws removed. The big question I have is can I get them both done at the same surgery? I don’t know if that’s possible but it would be very easy for me not to go back and forth again for both of those removed.

So, I broke both of my legs at the same time and was in a wheel chair for a bit. If you’re going to get both rods removed at the same time, make sure you have a support system as you’re going to have great difficulty getting around for the first week. It took me about a week before I could walk on my leg after my rod removal but I chose to do it with no pain killers and only using natural herbs. I’m sure if I had taken pain killers, I could’ve walked on it quicker but I’m one of those earthy people.

I was cycling at The Cradle of Humankind in South Africa when a van crashed into me. I suffered a comminuted displaced fracture of my right tibia and fibula and a concussion, broken ribs and fractured scapula. Surgeon put in a rod in my tibia with 4 screws. I had a non union due to no weight bearing for a few months. Finally after 3 months there was some union. I used crutches for about 6 months and limped around for another 6 months. Could not bend my knee fully but recovered only after about a year post op.
I just had the rod removed last week - exactly 18 months after it was put in. Doc was happy with the healing and advised me to remove the rod under GA. Physio came around 2 hours after the op and said I needed to walk as the operation was a success and there should be no delay with weight bearing. I am already feeling better and walking around. I have knee pain where the cut was made but generally feeling good that I had it removed. My recommendations are:

1. Do not delay weight bearing after a tibia fracture but don’t attempt running too soon or excessive activity.

2. Walk as much you can - slow to medium paced walking. Strengthen your glutes, hamstrings and thigh muscles to speed up recovery. Use a physiotherapist and biokineticist to guide you.

3. Remove the rod at least 18 months post op. That seems to be the gold standard timewise to remove it.

4. Get a second opinion if you not happy with your surgeon. I had a brilliant surgeon but his bedside manner was not great.

5. Your physiotherapist has to communicate with your surgeon to guide your recovery. This was the reason I had a non union.

My husband was hit by a car at 16. Two rods in his rt leg femur and tibia. He is 51 and needs a knee replacement but the rods are in the way. They would have to be removed before they replace the knee.  35 years  later and he has to get them removed, we are worried that they are now fused to the bone and this will cause all sorts of complications. We are faced with a decision and a risk. Has anyone been in this situation? What was your outcome.?

Janna Vittoria wrote:

My husband was hit by a car at 16. Two rods in his rt leg femur and tibia. He is 51 and needs a knee replacement but the rods are in the way. They would have to be removed before they replace the knee.  35 years  later and he has to get them removed, we are worried that they are now fused to the bone and this will cause all sorts of complications. We are faced with a decision and a risk. Has anyone been in this situation? What was your outcome.?

Not to that degree, but my tibial IM rod was in place a little over 10 years before I had it removed.  It was an easy out patient process.  My leg was quite swollen and bruised, which I understand is from getting the rod out of the bone (there are video on youtube, don't watch if you're squeamish).  I was walking in a day or so, and the only issue with returning to normal activity was getting the swelling down and for the bruising to go away.

RandyLee wrote:

Update, in case anyone else is thinking of Tibia IM rod removal:  

I had the rod removed May 30th, approximately 7 months after surgery, because an infection wouldn't go away for several months. I had to take 2 weeks off of work, but I spent most of that getting my WFR, starting 5 days after surgery. Those 5 days I wasn't moving very fast, and was back on crutches. 2 crutches for a couple of days, then 1 for a few more. By 2 weeks after surgery I could jog again, now just over a month later I've been hiking long distances, carrying packs, running 6+ miles at a pop, and generally feeling great. For around a month there was slight anterior knee pain if I moved too fast without stretching my knee first, now that has gone away. I was fairly certain that removing the rod would help get me back to where I want to be, now I know - I would never have been able to live my life the way I want to if I had left it in. The final month before removal my right knee hurt all day, every day, with every step, now I'm pain free.  

Read your post about the removing of the rod in the tibia!  Three years ago I broken my right tibia and fibula bones after stepping into a hole in the ground!  After a successful surgery and recovery and three years later I definitely want the rod removed because the rod was left too long into the knee area and I cannot kneel down without experiencing pain when the rod pinches the skin with the surface!  I want to know if the tibia will be strong enough with the healing that has taken place and if removal is difficult to achieve.

I’m not a doctor. Reading through this thread, it sounds like people had mixed responses. I’m very, very glad I had mine removed and I play harder now than I did before I broke my leg. I soloed Triple Direct and went up Denali this year, plus hitting my hardest trad grades to date and regularly running half marathon distances. I would do it again in a heartbeat, but it sounds like you should call a doctor to talk about it. 

I’ve had a rod and 3 pins in my tibia for close to 4 years now. I had a similar issue and when I talked to my surgeon he suggested I try to strengthen my knees first. I did about 18 months of doing squats about 3 days a week and haven’t had any issues since. 

I’ve had a rod and 3 pins in my tibia for close to 4 years now. I had a similar issue and when I talked to my surgeon he suggested I try to strengthen my knees first. I did about 18 months of doing squats about 3 days a week and haven’t had any issues since. 

I had my IM rod removed from my tibia at the 15-month mark following my initial break and surgery.  I've never regretted it.  Sure, there was a recovery period, but nothing like the painful recovery after the initial tibia break and surgery.  I always say, every case is different.  Personally, I was never happy with the idea of the IM rod inserted into my tibia.  I had constant shin pain while walking and, of course, while running.  My range of motion was compromised after the IM rod insertion.  Those two issues were resolved after the removal.  

Hi I'm 33 years old and I broke my tidia  and got a rod and I wanted to know if this is lined up right if not can they relined in up right or no will I walk right is this good to stop me from getting it out