# Collarbone Plate Screw coming out



## austincrx (Oct 22, 2008)

Well, it's been 4.5 months since my surgery where I had a plate and 10 screws put in my clavicle. Over the weekend my wife and I were 'trying out' couches at some furniture stores when I pushed myself up (in a pretty normal way might I add) from the seat of one with my hands on the arm rests. I guess I twisted my arm in a funny way because I felt somethign 'pop' in my calvicle area. I thought nothing of it because it wasn't painful, and I just forgot about it.
Yesterday I was in the bathroom wiht my shirt off getting ready to get in the shower when I noticed that there was a notch at the area of the plate in my shoulder. It wasn't somethign that I noticed before and I felt around it and on top of it and figured out it's one of the screws from the plate to my clavicle. 
Today I was (this will sound funny) getting dressed, more specifically pulling my pants up, when my shoulder went 'pop' again! THis time I went immediately to the mirror, but I can't tell if the screw has backed out any more or not. It's difficult for me to feel it or touch it because something about doing that makes me feel sick almost immediately. (Yep, just tried to feel it again, and now I feel sick again).
My question to all of you is: How likely is it that one of the screws has started to come out? I called the doctor today, but it's their surgery day so I won't get any word from them until tomorrow. 
I can't say I've done anything bad, Doctor said I was100% healed about 6 weeks ago, and I've been doing some light upperbody workouts ever since. Nothing too difficult and nothing painful, pushups, bicep curls, tricep extensions, etc. Could this be from something that I've done, or could this be the doctor not doing something correctly, or could this just be a common issue (though I've never heard about this from anyone else)?


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## Stuart B (Feb 26, 2006)

It might just be scar tissue or flesh pinging off/over the metal work.

I have a couple of plates and screws in my tibia plateau, It does make some funny pop sensations at times....5 years on I don't even react to them.

Worth talking to the doc, but I wouldn't stress too much until then if its not hurting.

Stu


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## MXL (Jun 26, 2012)

Loctite!!


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## Madone58 (Jul 2, 2012)

Talk to the Doc. Do you have full range of motion? You would feel a screw coming out...it would re-fracture your clavicle. If you have "healed", then those screws and plate are now part of your clavicle. Considering that you are doing exercises with weights, you've been "cleared" from this injury. Most orthopedic physicians are very conservative when it comes to recovery time (because it covers their butt legally). Scar tissue is a possibility. Many folks have problems with scare tissue after joint replacements that require surgical manipulations to "correct". I'm guessing you had your whole shoulder immobilized for the majority of several weeks at minimum, so it really could be a lot of things. Best thing to do is talk to your doctor.


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## Oldguybikingnewb (Jan 25, 2011)

"Loctite!!!" to funny, my immediate thought was Red or Blue? Seriously though, talk to the doc, or nurse actually who will then probably tell you to come in and see the Dr. Then you can replicate it for him.

Me personally, I probably would have fainted after the first pop, you telling the story is making me quezzy. Yea, I'm a 6'2", 235lb athletic wimp.


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## nOOky (Mar 20, 2009)

If you want to swing by after work, I'll cut 'er open and have a look for you, and I have an assortment of screwdrivers on hand as well as various saws and a Dremel if it gets fussy. Or you could check with your doctor for peace of mind.


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## MoonHowl (Oct 5, 2008)

A coworker of mine has a plate screwed onto his clavicle; he stated that it can be removed after the clavicle is healed; so you may want to proceed with that if there are problems. He has opted to leave the plate in place and avoid more surgery (and associated expenses).


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Just thank your lucky stars he didn't put any carbon fiber in there. You probably would have exploded by now.


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## DrD (Feb 5, 2000)

If it didn't hurt, I would guess the screw didn't pop out... they are supposed to be self locking, so they really shouldn't back out.

If it concerns you, go in and get an x-ray - that will show you what's up.

10 screws is a lot! You must have done quite a number on it! (I had mine shattered last year around this time and ended up with a plate and 9 screws - the collarbone broke in three places, plus there was a bunch of debris)

(as for the removing the plate comment above - they can defnitely do that, but then your clavicle is like swiss cheese, and you are back to waiting for it to fill in/heal again (along with the incision, which depending on how big the plate is, could be sizeable) - they prefer not to remove things unless they are causing a problem)


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