[bjornsteffanson]

Also broke my ankle, and also had a plate installed via ORIF surgery. My insurance company was billed nearly $80,000 USD, and I was asked to pay $6k of that. And that was just the single procedure, not any of the follow-up visits or physical therapy.

The doctor who performed the initial surgery said that it is not common to remove the plate due to the risk and expense of another surgery procedure, so I still have it. Been nearly 5 years. Would love to get rid of it.

If I may ask, what was your consultation conversation like when you discussed having the plate removed with your doctor /surgeon?

[peterburkimsher]

The plate was put in by the same doctor in Taiwan a year earlier, who recommended removing it. I can also recommend taking it out - I feel much better without it.

Doctors in Europe/NZ/etc recommended not removing it because of the expense. It was sensitive to temperature changes, so I really wanted it out. When my bone and titanium expanded and contracted at different rates when going from a cold winter outside to a warm house, it was uncomfortable.

If you can take a couple of weeks to fly to Asia and sit around waiting for it to heal, that would be best. Once the stitches are out (surgery + 2 weeks) you're able to fly again and walk without crutches. So I guess that's the shortest time you could do it in. I'm staying for 2 months though, because I'm waiting for a visa to move down under.

[bjornsteffanson]

Thanks for that info. I'm a permanent resident of Australia now, with access to the public (and private) medical care down here. My injury and procedure happened in the US though, and I've moved around quite a bit since then, and haven't really seen anyone about my ankle since my last post-op visit 4+ years ago. I enquired about speaking to a syndesmotic specialist down here but it still seemed to be an expensive visit to be told "yeah nah everyone just keeps the plate in nowadays mate," which is what I was expecting...so I'm always very curious when someone has had the implant removed. Thanks again.