syndesmotic screw loose?
My OS believes that my syndesmotic screw may be slowly loosening. It goes all the way through both bones and has a lug on the other end holding it tight, so I am wondering if it continues to loosen and the lug on the other end pops off (but the screw doesn’t break), will it still be useful or will the OS have to replace it or remove it. It has been appx 3 weeks, not enough time for the ligaments to be healed but some soft tissue is probably holding it together. It is also in a fiberglass leg cast over the knee. If the loose screw after 3-4 weeks cannot help for the final 3-4 weeks, I would obviously need to replace it or remove and hope it doesn’t widen, yes? Am I in danger of needing the whole procedure re-done if I don’t catch the pop in time?
2 comments
Vivian Abrams DPM
If you are non weight bearing in a cast, why is the screw loosening? Has your surgeon taken x-rays?
Greg
With every x-ray he claims it is unscrewing a bit (counting threads)… but yesterday’s showed it is staying put for now, so 5 weeks in I believe is enough time for no further surgery… THANKS