The short answer
Most plates, screws and rods can stay in for life once the bone has healed. A review of the evidence advises removing them only when they cause problems, such as pain, a plate rubbing under the skin, infection or a screw in a joint, and only after a full talk about the risks. Removal is a real operation: the bone is weaker where the screws were for some weeks, so it can break again, and nerves near the plate can be injured.
Book a plate removal assessmentMedically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
When removal is usually advised
- Pain or discomfort over the plate that has not settled after the bone healed
- A plate or screw head you can feel rubbing under thin skin, for example at the ankle or shin
- Infection around the implant, often with a wound that keeps discharging
- A screw or wire that has moved or broken, or sits in a joint
- Some children, depending on the bone and the surgeon's advice
When it is usually not needed
If the bone has healed and the plate causes no trouble, it can usually stay. For many years implants were removed routinely, but that has changed: some people with no complaints before removal developed problems after it. Being told 'the metal must come out' without a reason is worth a second opinion.
Timing
An implant should only come out once the fracture has fully healed, which your surgeon confirms on an X-ray. Taking it out too early risks the bone breaking again. The right time depends on the bone and your age, so your surgeon decides it with you.
What the operation involves
It is often a day case, under a general or regional anaesthetic. The surgeon usually opens the old scar, removes the plate and screws, and may use an X-ray in theatre to find them. Sometimes a screw is broken or stuck and is left in place when removing it would do more harm.
Recovery time
- First two weeks: wound care and stitches out, gentle use of the limb
- Weeks two to six: normal daily activity returns, but the bone is weaker where the screws were
- Weeks six to twelve: contact sport and heavy lifting usually return after this, on your surgeon's advice
Risks to weigh
- The bone breaking again through the screw holes in the first weeks
- Injury to a nerve or blood vessel near the plate
- Wound infection or bleeding
- A broken screw that cannot be removed
- Pain that does not improve after removal
What plate removal costs
On Mezo, implant removal is quoted in writing after a surgeon has examined you and seen your X-rays, because the price changes with the bone, the type of implant, whether a screw is broken and whether there is infection. You see the full price before you agree, and you pay online.
What it costs on Mezo
One fixed price, paid online.
Common questions
Do plates and screws have to be removed after a fracture?
Usually not. Most can stay in for life. They are removed when they cause pain, rub under the skin, become infected, or in some children.
How long is recovery after plate removal surgery?
Most people use the limb gently within days and return to normal daily activity over two to six weeks. Contact sport and heavy lifting usually wait until after about six weeks, on the surgeon's advice.
Can my bone break again after the plate is removed?
Yes, it is a known risk in the first weeks while the screw holes fill in. Following the surgeon's advice on protecting the limb lowers it.
How much does plate removal surgery cost?
On Mezo it is quoted in writing after the surgeon's assessment, because a broken screw, infection or implants in more than one bone change the price. You see the full price first.
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Ask for a plate removal quote
Tell us the operation and whether you will pay cash or through your HMO. Asking is free. A coordinator calls within one business day, and the written all-in quote follows the surgeon's assessment, so you know the full price before you commit.
Get a fixed surgery quoteSources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Indications for implant removal after fracture healing: a review of the literature. European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery 39(4), 2013. Peer-reviewed.
- Broken leg. NHS. Patient information.
Links last checked 3 November 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.