United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

hi all. it's been a while since i posted, mainly lurking everyday. my shoulder has gotten alot stronger and is not nearly as subluxed as before. i have also been feeling some bicep flickering here and there, so i am optimistic. the one problem that i do have, and this has been an ocurring problem is my elbow keeps getting infected. from my accident i have plates and screws internally fixated to my humerus and two screws going through bottom of elbow(i believe it is the olcereon bone or something) i cant get the infections to stop and am afaid they will have to go back in to take them out. which i'm sure will delay any recovery i can get back. does anybody out there have plates and/or screws in arm that has caused infections? any info would be appreciated. i'm also afraid the infection will get into the bone and then i'm really screwed.other than that things are getting better and easier for me. i have been back to work fulltime for 7 months now. helping coach both my sons and daughters baseball teams, and keeping plenty busy around the house now that the wheather is nice.last year was very hard and i'll never forget the long days and sleepless nights of hoplessness and depression. my kids, wife and good friends got me back to this point and i'm very happy to be alive again. thanks for listening this sight helped alot also. i hope all is well with everyone.

Go to an infectous disease doctor.
They are awesome and will get that infection cleared up !! GAYLE mom of Brandon 8 1/2 ROBPI

Dustin had a plate with 4 screws in his wrist. They did not get infected but he still had them removed. He said they were bothering him. Having them taken out was nothing for him. They did an outpatient surgery. He left shortly after waking up. He just had to keep the incision clean and dry for a week. He couldn't do water therapy for about 4 weeks. But we saw no set backs as he still could do his exercises. Not sure if this helps.
Sue

Mel has plates, screws and a rod in her right arm/wrist. She has never had any infections from them. The doctor who put them in told her she could have them removed f they start to bother her. Of course they will never bother her because she has no sensory nerves functioning in that arm. If you can have any of the hardware removed, I would certainly get it taken out. Usually the plates and screws are only neccesary until healing is complete. Of course rods are a different story, they usually stay in forever. Seeing an infection control doc is good advice if hardware removal is not possible.