Thread: Rodding the Tib?

I just got word that I'm scheduled to have by tib rodded on Monday and I'm a bit nervous, not quite sure what to expect. Does anyone have any experience w/ such a procedure? If so, please share. Thanks.

no knowledge, but good luck mang.

your leg will dominate that rod! full assimilation! take no prisoners!

I've been through that one. The tib rod will heal your bone faster and more neatly. You will not have to wear a cast, which is a bonus. You will be weight bearing in 4 weeks and you will notice that with rehab you will get back to normal relatively quickly. The doctors will tell you that you don't have to remove the rod, that as long as it doesn't cause any problems that you will be better off leaving it in. That is bullshit. I left mine in for 7 years, and it never gave me any real trouble, but was always sore, especially when the weather changed, low pressure systems moved in. It was always sore longer after workouts, and became sore faster during them. I finally decided to have it removed, and it was the best decision ever. It was a couple weeks recovery, which sucked, but now I am pain free in that leg, and I noticed an increase in flexibility and strength. I still think the rod is a good healing method, and would prefer it over a full leg cast, but my advice would be to not leave it in forever. It will suck making that decision to go back under the knife after you've healed, but I say it's worth it. Wish I didn't waited 7 years. Best of luck to you.

Thanks Arnold. You pretty much confirmed my reasons for choosing this procedure. How about the surgery itself --- how painful/dehabilitating was it? How soon do you think I'll be able to get "out and about" (back to work in the office)? How soon after the surgery do you think you would have been comfortable w/ removing the rod and/or screws? Thanks man, good to hear it worked out well for you in the long run.

I don't think the surgery is as bad as the acl repair I just had done, but it's been ten years so... You'll be up and around on crutches right away, then you'll graduate to a cane pretty quickly. It's getting that incision to heal that is the bitch, and you'll have trouble kneeling for a few years. Getting it taken out is a whole other issue. I put it off for 7 years. Partly because nobody told me how much better I would feel, but partly because I didn't want to go back under the knife (who does?). The recovery from that was only a couple weeks, again the incision. I'm really happy not to have it inside me anymore, even though I was fully active with it in (skied, played contact sports etc.) I'm more flexible and less prone to ankle injuries with it out. You might tolerate it differently than I did. I sort of accepted the nagging pain as part of my life, and then just got fed up. I'd suggest setting a target date, like maybe one year to set as decision time. Once you heal you're not going to want to go back in. So carve out a two week time slot in the future when you've got nothing really going on. Don't put up with the pain. Best wishes.

full assimilation! no prisoners! bap bap bap!




ook i'm drunk. and the lights are of. but you are going to fuck that rod up. i can feel it.

Oh man, I'm thrashed, that was no fun. I can't wait to get back up to 100% and maintain excellent conditioning/health. No prisoners is right!! and thanks for the good words Gonzo.

Arnold, do you remember what sort of pain meds you were on after your original surgery? They tried to give me some Tylenol w/ codeine but that didn't work for shit. I'm back to the percocets now, but even those feel weak.

I've had a rod in my femur for near four years now and I've had no problems. Fact is- its stronger than it would be without. I occasionally get pains (minor) and can feel barometric pressure changes- but I find the latter kind of cool. Also, I've had some nasty run-ins with trees, once on the snow once on my bike, and I came away just fine, I'm convinced, because of my bionic titanium femur. A couple of things to remember-

1. While in recovery be hawkish about possible swelling in your leg, breathing trouble, irritability and the like- blood clots often result from a combination of new 'foreign hardware' and immobility. Not to scare you, but be on the lookout (I was on weeks of bed-rest from a host of other injuries when I had the femur-rod put in and I got a nice little pulmonary embolism [blood clot]- I wouldn't wish it on anyone- though I did fully recover after 6 months of blood thinners).

2. Get a note from the doc that is VERY official looking stateing that you have 'foreign hardware' in your body. You can set off airport security detectors and TSC can make things kind of unpleasant if you're setting off their alarms and they can't find a cause. There's a great story about Reagan National security strip searching a well-recognized congressman because his hip-replacement kept setting off alarms.

Hope recovery goes well. Rock on.

As for pain meds- I was on the oxy train for months after my surgeries- many mg of oxy. It sucked- stick with precs and request vicadin if the percs make you feel shitty. A lotof people react better to Vic than percs even though they are essentially the same thing.

Feel better

Originally Posted by FollowMe

Oh man, I'm thrashed, that was no fun. I can't wait to get back up to 100% and maintain excellent conditioning/health. No prisoners is right!! and thanks for the good words Gonzo.

Arnold, do you remember what sort of pain meds you were on after your original surgery? They tried to give me some Tylenol w/ codeine but that didn't work for shit. I'm back to the percocets now, but even those feel weak.

You'll get back fast, FM. But it does suck, I know. I was on Tylox (tylenol/codene) and then Percoset. I never set off metal detectors with mine until 9/11, and then I did. It was one reason I got it removed. You'll never feel so bad that you say "Damn I gotta get this thing out", but trust me, being a cyborg sucks after the novelty wears off. Then you can take it around to bars and ask girls if they want to see your 13" titanium rod

Not trying to overly jong in,

I really dont find my 'rodded' leg to be even noticeable. I got quite fucked up in a car accident and rehabed my whole body. The femur (which I know is not a tibia) was, is and according to research (my pops is a career med. researcher) always will be the strongest feeling and acting part of my body. I've actually yet to set off an airport detector- I just see and hear about it happening often. Long and short- while ABabar I think its great and fortunate that you got yours out and are more comfortable and happy as a result- FM, I wouldn't sweat it for now- concern yourself with it only down the road, and only then if it occurs to you.

Heal well.

Right on, Biggins. I don't know how old you are. I'm in my late 30's, and i must say that aging is hard enough without cyborg parts in your body. I definitely could have left it in, but a number of circumstances converged where I wanted it out and am happier for it. It didn't bother me in the beginning, but those minor pains were starting to amplify as I aged, and I had good insurance that I was about to lose so I pulled the trigger. I hope FollowMe, that your experience is like Biggins'. Heal well,

Thanks for the advice fellaz. I'm really hopeful that I find it "tolerable" as the last thing I want to do is go back into the OR. Just curious Arnold, was having it removed less traumatic that having it placed?

Yes, less traumatic, but still sucked. I healed up real quick, though. I'm probably overstating how much it bothered me, esp in the beginning. It NEVER bothered me skiing, but I like to run long distances, and found that with it in it would bug me after about eight miles. Now I feel like I can do marathons again. Just know that if it does bother you, take it out and you will feel relief. Wait till you get your x-rays back after you heal, the rod allows the bone to knit back reeeeeaaaaal smooooooove. I tried to post pics of my rod and my rays, but I couldn't get the files small enough. I'll try again another time. There's something cool about holding a piece of titanium that has been in your body for seven years. Friends want me to have it made into a bike component.

Hang in there bro! Dominate that shit!!!



P.S. Probably not a great question, but how do they get it out? I thought it was in the middle of the bone? Is it like strapped to the side or something?

Oh it's in the middle of the bone, secured with a screw. First they make an incision on the side, and use a torx-head screw driver to remove the screw. Then they cut through the patellar tendon and drill out the top of the tibia until the top of the rod is exposed. The rod is hollow titanium. The top of the rod is threaded. They thread some kind of tool in there and then extract the rod. It feels great

Seriously ABabar-

You are a toughMF.

These kinds of surgeries suck.

Follow me- Get your films and a good account of what you went through in surgery- you'll:

a. indeed feel like a cyborg
b. feel like Rambo as well (grrrrr!)

Originally Posted by Arnold Babar

Oh it's in the middle of the bone, secured with a screw. First they make an incision on the side, and use a torx-head screw driver to remove the screw. Then they cut through the patellar tendon and drill out the top of the tibia until the top of the rod is exposed. The rod is hollow titanium. The top of the rod is threaded. They thread some kind of tool in there and then extract the rod. It feels great

And they do that with ELEPHANT bones! Holy fuck that must be a big screwdriver!

Gonz - you really need to finish school and GET THE FUCK OUT of the shitty, mang.

I know a 17 year old girl who piled in a SuperG out here in Dec and ended up with her foot pointing backwards. Had surgery for the fib tib and a rod inserted in the tib the next day. She flew home (4 hours) 2 days after surgery. Apparently was going pretty light on the pain meds. I heard today that she is on skis already (real easy skiing on flat stuff). It sounds to me like the process sucks quite a bit but the results are very good and quick.

Originally Posted by gonzo

And they do that with ELEPHANT bones! Holy fuck that must be a big screwdriver!

Everything in Elephantland is big, so it's all relative. In my case the rod was secured with two screws: one at the ankle, and one just below the knee. After the bone heals (at about 4 weeks) they take out the ankle screw. They only use a local anesthetic for that, and it doesn't hurt at all, but it is wierd being worked on like you were some kind of machine.

Originally Posted by L7

I know a 17 year old girl who piled in a SuperG out here in Dec and ended up with her foot pointing backwards. Had surgery for the fib tib and a rod inserted in the tib the next day. She flew home (4 hours) 2 days after surgery. Apparently was going pretty light on the pain meds. I heard today that she is on skis already (real easy skiing on flat stuff). It sounds to me like the process sucks quite a bit but the results are very good and quick.

This is true, and since there is no cast and mobility is encouraged, atrophe is minimized. It's a good thing. But don't accidentally put pressure on it too soon like I did even the memory hurts

Removed the staples today and the temporary hard cast. Now I'm wearing a removable brace. I was pretty stoked to make this move, but now my ankle can move freely and it fucking hurts to move it even slightly. I was off the pain pills completely as of Sunday (except one at night and one when I'm feeling kinda down and out ), but I think I'll get back on the pain (pill) train for another day to acclimate to the new movement. It was a trip seeing my leg since the surgery. It's friggin' swollen, cut, randomly shaved, generally beat to hell...poor baby. And Arnold, don't know how you got away w/ one screw on each end. I've got at least 2 on each. Hope the doc isn't trying to pay me back for getting a second opinion. L7, good to hear the positive feedback from others. My foot wasn't completely backward, just about half way. Oh well, making progress here and aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh the 'cet is kicking in. One thing that is making this a whole lot easier is that I've got a handicap placard now and that thing is GOLD in SF, especially downtown. Pulled right up in front of the office, parked the beast and I was set for the day. Thanks Nana (and God Bless your sole). No $$, no nada. Oh, the simple pleasures of being a Gimp.

Embrace the pain meds while it's acceptable. It will hurt for a while and enduring pain is overrated. It sounds like your case is a bit more severe than mine, TWO screws at each end . My doc told me that movement was my friend, and the earlier I could tolerate pressure and weight bearing, the better. Said something about the bone healing faster in response to applying stress, something about crystalization process or something. Anyway, another reason to keep hittin' the meds .

I just got to go thorugh this three weeks ago. Its not to bad. I shattered my tib/fib skiing Lincoln Mt. at Mammoth Mountain and had my tib puncture my skin also. I went through 4 hours of surgery and have a 14 inch titanium rod through my tib and 4 screws to hold it in place. I already have about 85% movement back in my knee and about 70% movement back in my ankle. Just make sure to do the at home physical thereapy that they tell you to and keep it elevated and on ice and you can stretch out the life of your pain meds drastically. Its kinda nice not haveing a cast and my doc says i should be back walking mildly w/o crutches about mid april which is only 6-7 weeks after breaking it. It sucks though cause my injured leg is already noticably losing muscle to the eye. Good luck with that man!!!