“Orthopedic question?”
I cracked my tibia after surgery from having plates and screws removed. I got hit by a car my swelling has almost gone and my pain has decreased I am partially weight-bearing and walking with a brace and cane I have been to the doctor twice and I was healing both times. Just this last time I wasn't healing like he wanted what is the likelihood that I will be healed.
39 years old
Complaint duration: Since Oct 20 th
Medications: none
Conditions: None
5 Answers
Depends on the alignment and your physiological healing ability. For example, if you have diabetes healing will be longer. If it doesn’t heal in a certain amount of time then your orthopedic surgeon will have to figure out if it is a failure to stabilize or failure of biology. Either way it may require further surgery.
Unfortunately, I can’t really give you a good answer without looking at your x-rays. If your x-rays were showing signs of healing before, then generally that is a good thing. It takes bones sometimes a few months to heal. If you are concerned with the evaluation by your current doctor, you could always get a copy of your x-rays and seek out a 2nd opinion.
It will most likely heal without issue. If not consider a bone stimulator.
Robert D. Swift, DO, FAOAO
Orthopedic Surgeon, Board Certified
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”
Robert D. Swift, DO, FAOAO
Orthopedic Surgeon, Board Certified
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”
Good morning. Thanks for sharing your sharing your leg issue with the FATD community. I am happy to offer my thoughts, tips and suggestions regarding your concerns.
Understanding a thorough history of the problem would help me answer your question in a more reliable way. When it comes to fractured or broken bones (including the tibia bone), knowing the timing, treatment and x-ray findings help a lot. From your question, I am confused as to whether or not you had fractured it a while ago and then had a new injury (car accident) which prompted the removal of the hardware. I think your question revolves around the current healing of the tibia bone that has no more hardware in it.
If you are a healthy 39 year old, then the tibia bone should heal. However, if there is an underlying infection, sometimes the bone will not heal. The tibia bone is a strong yet nearly-hollow tube (the canal or inner aspect is not a solid structure but rather a lattice or mesh of calcified tissue). The healing is successful only when there is good blood flow around the damaged area. If the blood flow is not good or complete, then the body can try and heal but fails to bridge the fractured area with bone. If fibrous (soft-tissue scar) tissue forms instead of bone, then the bone will not mend and become strong enough to carry you around. It may also lead to continued pain or lack of confidence in the leg. Depending on how the most recent x-ray looks, you may benefit from another surgery, whose goal is to re-establish an open canal (which will allow new blood vessels to form and thus complete healing of the bone).
There are external bone growth stimulating devices that can sometimes be used to complete healing without more surgery, but this depends on how the serial x-rays look, and your pain level.
I hope this helps and that you can now go back to the surgeon (or to a new one) and make a plan. I hope you eventually heal and can get back to an active lifestyle that brings you happiness.
David T. Neuman, MD FAAOS
Sports Medicine and Orthopedics
131 West 33rd St.
Suite 12E
New York, NY 10001
P: 212-813-3634
F: 212-857-9411
www.nysportscare.com<http://www.nysportscare.com/>
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail communication and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information for the use of the designated recipients named above. It may contain confidential and protected health information subject to privacy regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this communication in error and that any review, disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of it or its contents is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify me immediately by replying to this message and deleting it from your computer.
Understanding a thorough history of the problem would help me answer your question in a more reliable way. When it comes to fractured or broken bones (including the tibia bone), knowing the timing, treatment and x-ray findings help a lot. From your question, I am confused as to whether or not you had fractured it a while ago and then had a new injury (car accident) which prompted the removal of the hardware. I think your question revolves around the current healing of the tibia bone that has no more hardware in it.
If you are a healthy 39 year old, then the tibia bone should heal. However, if there is an underlying infection, sometimes the bone will not heal. The tibia bone is a strong yet nearly-hollow tube (the canal or inner aspect is not a solid structure but rather a lattice or mesh of calcified tissue). The healing is successful only when there is good blood flow around the damaged area. If the blood flow is not good or complete, then the body can try and heal but fails to bridge the fractured area with bone. If fibrous (soft-tissue scar) tissue forms instead of bone, then the bone will not mend and become strong enough to carry you around. It may also lead to continued pain or lack of confidence in the leg. Depending on how the most recent x-ray looks, you may benefit from another surgery, whose goal is to re-establish an open canal (which will allow new blood vessels to form and thus complete healing of the bone).
There are external bone growth stimulating devices that can sometimes be used to complete healing without more surgery, but this depends on how the serial x-rays look, and your pain level.
I hope this helps and that you can now go back to the surgeon (or to a new one) and make a plan. I hope you eventually heal and can get back to an active lifestyle that brings you happiness.
David T. Neuman, MD FAAOS
Sports Medicine and Orthopedics
131 West 33rd St.
Suite 12E
New York, NY 10001
P: 212-813-3634
F: 212-857-9411
www.nysportscare.com<http://www.nysportscare.com/>
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail communication and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information for the use of the designated recipients named above. It may contain confidential and protected health information subject to privacy regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this communication in error and that any review, disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of it or its contents is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify me immediately by replying to this message and deleting it from your computer.
Usually good. Talk to the doctor. You may have been misunderstood.
