To leave, or not to leave..?

[Lurch the stalker]

On 16 December 2014 I broke my left collarbone for the third time.

Surgeon put a plate in the same day.

 

I had a follow up with him the other day, and he is happy with the recovery, and has now suggested to take the plate out.

His reasoning is that if I fall with the plate in I could potentially do more damage, or even if that doesn't happen, I could have the plate break off from the screws in a few years.

 

I've seen a couple comments in the last while around here where most people say they leave them in.

 

Is this simply a scare tactic to get me (or my medical aid) to pay up to have it out?

Should I take it out or leave it in? The plate does not bother me at all.

[Prince Albert Cycles]

If you don't trust the opinion of your surgeon get another from another surgeon . Whose advice on this forum are you going to accept if you don't trust your surgeon's ?

[Mike Bike]

Mine still in, no problems. 3 yrs later

[Lurch the stalker]

If you don't trust the opinion of your surgeon get another from another surgeon . Whose advice on this forum are you going to accept if you don't trust your surgeon's ?

It's the third plate the same surgeon has done for me, so I do trust him.

Just wondering after I saw some comments on here that most people leave them in if it is worth doing since it means more time off the bike, and nobody wants that if they can avoid it.

[DeanvZ]

Mine has been in since 2007....no troubles...plenty crashes since then.

[TALUS]

Every medical decision has pros and cons. Make sure you get both sides and that you understand it. Then make your own call. You carry the risks both ways.

[StevieL]

And here I thought it was another thread about the pros and cons of living in Africa 

[Skylark]

Bone density on that collar bone must be getting rather compromised?

[Arrowhead]

Broke mine pretty badly in June and now have a 10 screw plate holding it all together, all the doctors I saw told me to leave it in, most of them rode mtb and had their same plates in for years. The downside to removing it is the possibility of infection every time you go under the knife, granted the bone supposedly heals better under stress, but it varies from person to person, and break to break, personally I'm gonna leave mine as picked up quite a serious infection last time as much as it annoys me.

 

TLDR: go get another opinion

[Lurch the stalker]

Every medical decision has pros and cons. Make sure you get both sides and that you understand it. Then make your own call. You carry the risks both ways.

I accept there is no simple answer to the question, and it never dawned on me to do anything but what the surgeon said until I saw it mentioned a few times around here that people leave them in so was just curious about it.

 

And here I thought it was another thread about the pros and cons of living in Africa 

Just as we're getting this I Team thing started..nobody in their right mind is leaving

 

Broke mine pretty badly in June and now have a 10 screw plate holding it all together, all the doctors I saw told me to leave it in, most of them rode mtb and had their same plates in for years. The downside to removing it is the possibility of infection every time you go under the knife, granted the bone supposedly heals better under stress, but it varies from person to person, and break to break, personally I'm gonna leave mine as picked up quite a serious infection last time as much as it annoys me.

 

TLDR: go get another opinion

Don't know if that bone healing stronger is true for anybody else, but personally, all three of my breaks were in exactly the same place, so at least in my case I cannot believe that is true (though maybe I am just weak ).

[Uni]

And here I thought it was another thread about the pros and cons of living in Africa 

Hahaaa that's what I thought too.

Not a doctor, never had a plate of any kind but if it's another surgical procedure to take it out and it's not necessary, I.e. It's not causing you any pain, I'd say leave it as well.