Published on 2 September 2022

Later removal of auxiliary materials after operations on bone fractures

In the event of severe bone fractures, surgeons use materials such as screws, plates, nails and wires to stabilise the fracture and facilitate healing. These auxiliary materials either remain in the body after the fracture is healed or are subsequently surgically removed. Materials are removed if patients experience pain, difficulty moving, negative bodily feelings or wound infection, for example. This preliminary report investigates the effects of removing materials from patients in whom there is no medical necessity.