title: Complications following metal removal: a follow-up of surgically treated forearm fractures.
abstract: We undertook a retrospective study of 82 patients with 128 diaphyseal fractures of the forearm who had been operated at our institution for their initial injury and subsequently had implant removal when the fractures had healed. The majority of the patients (97.5%) had no major complications after the removal of implants but 2 patients sustained a re-fracture of the same bone within 6 months after plate removal. Both patients had suffered from open fracture at the initial injury and sustained re-fracture in the original fracture site after implant removal. These fractures were both treated conservatively in a cast and united without further problems. Another 20 patients (24.4%) had minor complications ranging from mild superficial wound infection to nerve injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chia
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Soh
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Low
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D001860:Bone Plates / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D008670:Metals