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Is It Safe To Remove The Rod In Femur As It Is Causing Pain In Knee?
Question: My 90-yr oldmother had titanium rod inserted into her femur, as a fix for smashed hip due to a fall. Likely due to osteoporosis, the rod separated from femur near the knee, resulting in fairly constant knee pain ("6" on scale of 1-10). Q#1: Is it worth removing the rod, now that hip has healed, as a way to relieve knee pain, or are there alternatives (e.g., slicing off part of rod that broke away from femur)? Q#2: What is recovery following removal -- re-hab, or just hospital recovery with pain meds for a couple of wks?
Brief Answer:
Removal of rod will help.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
1. If the pain in the knee is due to the rod then it is best to get the rod removed as the hip has healed now. Slicing off the rod will not help as the rough edges will still cause irritation and pain.
2. The removal of rod involves a smaller incision with an early recovery. No physiotherapy is usually needed. Only some pain medicines and antibiotics are given for the wound to heal. Recovery is seen in 2-3 weeks.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal
Removal of rod will help.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
1. If the pain in the knee is due to the rod then it is best to get the rod removed as the hip has healed now. Slicing off the rod will not help as the rough edges will still cause irritation and pain.
2. The removal of rod involves a smaller incision with an early recovery. No physiotherapy is usually needed. Only some pain medicines and antibiotics are given for the wound to heal. Recovery is seen in 2-3 weeks.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Pradeep Vitta
Doesn't removal of the rod result in a hollow femur? Given that she has osteoporosis, how badly will the hollow femur affect the ability to put weight on the leg?
Brief Answer:
It will not affect the weight bearing capacity.
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thanks for writing again.
Femur is hollow from inside. It contains bone marrow in it. After the rod is removed, the blood and bone marrow will fill the cavity. It will not affect the weight bearing capacity of the bone.
Hope my answer is helpful.
Do accept my answer in case there are no further queries.
Regards.
It will not affect the weight bearing capacity.
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thanks for writing again.
Femur is hollow from inside. It contains bone marrow in it. After the rod is removed, the blood and bone marrow will fill the cavity. It will not affect the weight bearing capacity of the bone.
Hope my answer is helpful.
Do accept my answer in case there are no further queries.
Regards.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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