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A member asked:
How long are the fixation screws supposed to be in after having bunion removal surgery?
8 doctors weighed in across 4 answers
Can Stay: Internal fixation screws can stay in place indefinitely assuming they are not causing any problems. Rarely if there is pain from the hardware the screws can be removed.
Answered 10/1/2019
5.5k views
Depends: I place my fixation screws fairly deep so they are not prominent through the skin. Then, the only reason to remove them is if there is discomfort after the bone they are fixating has healed. Since they don't flex the same as bone, occasionally there can be a vague aching at the screw site which resolves when they are removed. Conversely, if they don't hurt, leave them alone.
Answered 1/9/2019
5.3k views
It varies.: Some screws can stay in your body forever without issue. Some screws have large enough heads that after they've done their job and your bone has healed, they should be taken out so they do not irritate the surrounding skin and tendons. This is usually several months after surgery.
Answered 10/2/2016
5.2k views
It depends: Some may not have to be removed at all.
Answered 10/4/2016
4.3k views
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