Super User Root beer Posted November 2, 2011 Super User Posted November 2, 2011 Does anyone in here have some sort of a metal plate anywhere in their body? After this semester is over I'm getting a small plate insert into my leg just below my knee. It didn't occur to me until after I left the doctor's office how cold weather will affect me. Somehow, I think cold weather+metal plate=making you cold and pain in the area around it. Anyone vouch for this or am I just thinking too much? I'll ask my doctor next time. Quote
Super User tomustang Posted November 2, 2011 Super User Posted November 2, 2011 The metal should remain constant with your core temperature, now arthritis caused by the aftermath of work (and damage you incurred pending surgery) will have negative affects in the cold, mostly pain/soreness Quote
Super User Grey Wolf Posted November 2, 2011 Super User Posted November 2, 2011 Some foreign objects inserted in your body will have an adverse effect sooner or later. Quote
Super User Lund Explorer Posted November 2, 2011 Super User Posted November 2, 2011 Sorry to hear you have to go under the knife! As was said before, it shouldn't become some kind of cold spot but could be a source of future pain when Mr. Arthur Itis comes to reside with you later in life. You can also look forward to a little more scrutiny from those wonderful folks at the TSA everytime you plan to fly somewhere! Quote
Super User Fishing Rhino Posted November 2, 2011 Super User Posted November 2, 2011 I broke my leg in 1963. I had to have an Eggars plate with four screws "installed" to hold my tibia in alignment so that it would heal at the proper length. The plate is about eight inches long and has slots for the screws, so the broken ends could rub against each other. Broken bones will not heal unless the ends can rub together and cause irritation. Then the bone produces callus which eventually forms into bone. It's not unlike an oyster forming a pearl around a piece of grit or other irritant. I had an oblique fracture. That meant the tibia could have been shorter or longer when it healed, messing up my knee and ankle. Anyway, it has been there for 48 years and has never bothered me. The Xray was scary to look at. Looked like four drywall screws that protruded a good half inch beyond the bone. In the following image, the screws do not protrude. I'll be seventy years old in a couple of weeks and it gives me no problem regardless of weather conditions. Quote
Super User Root beer Posted November 2, 2011 Author Super User Posted November 2, 2011 I'm glad to hear! I didn't want this to affect me after it heals since I discovered backcountry trout fishing in the mountains and it can get a little chilly sometimes. Lund, I think I'll be getting a medical card that states I have a plate, hopefully I won't be too scrutinized. Quote
Super User Fishing Rhino Posted November 2, 2011 Super User Posted November 2, 2011 I'm glad to hear! I didn't want this to affect me after it heals since I discovered backcountry trout fishing in the mountains and it can get a little chilly sometimes. Lund, I think I'll be getting a medical card that states I have a plate, hopefully I won't be too scrutinized. Mine has never set off the metal detector at airports. I mentioned this to a fellow with one of the wands. He passed his wand over it and it did detect the metal. Then I had to pull up my pants leg and show him the scar from the surgery. Quote
tyrius. Posted November 2, 2011 Posted November 2, 2011 Lund, I think I'll be getting a medical card that states I have a plate, hopefully I won't be too scrutinized. They don't give those out anymore. My wife's doc said that they're too easily faked. She has always been prepared for extra scrutiny, but the metal detectors have never "detected" the six inch long titanium rod that is in her tibia. Quote
endless Posted November 2, 2011 Posted November 2, 2011 I never had any surgery but I wish you the best of luck and a full/quick recovery!! Quote
Delaware Valley Tackle Posted November 2, 2011 Posted November 2, 2011 I broke my leg in 1963. I had to have an Eggars plate with four screws "installed" to hold my tibia in alignment so that it would heal at the proper length. The plate is about eight inches long and has slots for the screws, so the broken ends could rub against each other. Broken bones will not heal unless the ends can rub together and cause irritation. Then the bone produces callus which eventually forms into bone. It's not unlike an oyster forming a pearl around a piece of grit or other irritant. I had an oblique fracture. That meant the tibia could have been shorter or longer when it healed, messing up my knee and ankle. Anyway, it has been there for 48 years and has never bothered me. The Xray was scary to look at. Looked like four drywall screws that protruded a good half inch beyond the bone. In the following image, the screws do not protrude. I'll be seventy years old in a couple of weeks and it gives me no problem regardless of weather conditions. This looks eerily familiar. Mine's been about 14yrs. No problems related to the metal. Good luck! Quote
Super User slonezp Posted November 2, 2011 Super User Posted November 2, 2011 No plates but I do have titanium screws in my ankle. The only time I'm bothered by them is when I'm on my feet all day long...which is every day. My arthritis is affected by the cold and damp. I have 2 ex coworkers I keep in contact with. One was involved in a motorcycle accident and has plates in his thiegh and he's good for the most part. Another guy I know fell off a roof a week to the day after I fell off the same roof. I tore my hammy. He landed on his elbow and shattered it. He had multiple surgeries, screws and plates to have it rebuilt. He's in his late 50's and the elbow is plagued with arthritis. If you're surgery involves a joint you may be affected more than if it's in a straight bone. Good luck. Quote
northern basser Posted November 3, 2011 Posted November 3, 2011 I have a titanium L-bracket that runs through my knee joint and half way down my tibia with several screws in it. Also in the same leg I have a titanium rod that goes almost the full length of my femur. The bracket is from a tibia plateau fracture in a motocross crash and the rod is from the year after that were I snapped my femur right were the knee brace I was wearing from the 1st crash stopped. Anyway, the rod gives me no problem what so ever, but the bracket does from time to time. Mainly when there is an ubrupt change in temp. and or humidity. For some reason really humid weather seems to bug it. Cold will too if your out in the cold for a long period of time w/out longs jons or bibs. None of the above will set off a metal detector. All in all, I do much better than I was expecting to. I'm not quite as fast and nimble of a runner as I used to be though. Quote
Super User MALTESE FALCON Posted November 4, 2011 Super User Posted November 4, 2011 Due to an auto accident I have titanium cages, and rods in my lumbar spine, and a titanium plate in my cervical area. As has been mentioned arthritis does become a problem. Cold damp weather, and drastic barametric changes are my biggest problem. Hope your surgery goes well. Falcon P.S. My doctor has given me a card stating I have "appliances", for our friends at TSA. Quote
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