Removal of Metalwork: You will be going home on the day of your surgery after you are able to eat and drink and have passed urine. You would stay in the hospital for a minimum of one hour for observations. You will need a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital and stay with you overnight.
Leaflet Details
| Title | Removal of Metalwork |
| Department | Day Surgery Unit |
| Author(s) | Claire Ellson-Credo, RN |
| Review Date | January 2022 |
| Next Review | January 2025 |
| Download | A5 Booklet PDF |
| Accessibility Options | Click on the Recite Me button to show our accessibility resources |
Patient Information
After your surgery
- You will be going home on the day of your surgery after you are able to eat and drink and have passed urine. You would stay in the hospital for a minimum of one hour for observations. You will need a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital and stay with you overnight.
Dressings
- You have a waterproof dressing over your wounds. This needs to be kept clean and dry for 5-7 days and can be removed after this time or until the stitches are removed. You can have a shower after 48 hours but not a bath for at least 2 weeks. Please change the dressings with spare ones provided if they get dirty or wet. When changing the dressing, you need to peel the dressings off and apply the new ones without touching the wound. Wash your hands before and after.
- If you had surgery on your arm or leg, you will have bulky dressings (wool and crepe bandage) over the skin dressings. You can remove these bulky dressings after 48 hours. Please note that these bulky dressings are not waterproof.
Stitches
You may have stitches to close the wound.
- Dissolvable stitches can take a few weeks / months to dissolve.
- Non-dissolvable stiches need to be removed between 7-10 or 10-14 days’ time. You need to make an appointment with your practice nurse in your GP surgery for removal.
Wound care
- You will experience bruising and swelling around the wounds. This should settle down after a few days. You need to keep your arm/leg elevated for 48 hours to keep it from swelling.
- If you notice any bleeding through the dressings, please apply firm pressure over it for about 15-20 minutes. If the bleeding does not stop, please go to your nearest A and E department.
- If you have had part of the Ilizarov frame (external fixator) removed, you need to continue with your usual pin care routine on the remaining frame.
Pain
- It is common to have pain on the wound. Please take regular pain relief until this wears off.
Activities
- You need to take it easy for a few days. You are advised to take short walks the day after surgery, slowly building up to your normal activities.
- You should not drive for a minimum of 48 hours and until you are able to make an emergency stop safely, especially if you had surgery on your leg. It is advisable to check with your insurance company as they may have different policies.
- If you have not been driving before due to previous injury/surgery, you need to check with your surgeons before you start driving again.
- Providing that your job does not involve physical exertion, you may return to work as soon as you feel able to do so. Most people feel ready to return to work within a week.
Blood clot prevention
- It is important that you resume normal activities as advised and keep active. You must wear the anti-embolic stockings given to you for 7 days, both during the day and at night. They can be removed while you have a shower and applied again afterwards. If you had surgery on your foot, the stockings can be applied once the bulky dressings have been removed.
- You may have been given a blood thinning injection either during or after surgery. These help prevent blood clots such as in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) or the lung (pulmonary embolus). Depending on your medical risk factors, you may need to have this injection for a few days at home. You will be given instructions on how to administer them by your nurse.
Follow up appointment
- You will have a follow-up appointment in the outpatient clinic after 2-4 weeks; this can be a telephone follow up. An appointment letter will be sent to you with the details by the orthopaedic office.
- If you do not require any further appointment, you need to contact either your GP surgery or the Rowley Bristow clinic for any queries.
What to watch out for:
Please contact your GP if:
- The wound/s looks inflamed, hot to touch, has an offensive discharge and you have a temperature as these are signs of infection
- If you need further pain relief
Please attend Accident and Emergency department if:
- There is significant swelling on your arm/leg and the dressings feels very tight
- The sensation on your fingers / toes changes i.e. it becomes numb, painful or extremely cold
- The pain becomes severe and unmanageable
- The bleeding from the wound becomes excessive and uncontrolled
Useful contact numbers:
- Day Surgery Unit Ashford hospital 01784 884609 or 01784 884189 between 8am-9pm Monday to Friday
- Dickens ward 01784 884004 or Swan ward 01932 723220 after 9pm, weekends and bank holidays
- Orthopaedic office / Rowley Bristow Clinic 01932 722730 for appointment queries
If you feel unwell and needed urgent medical care, please go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Department immediately and bring your discharge letter with you.
