Get the Facts About Surgical Hardware

Has your podiatrist in Sugar Land suggested reconstructive surgery for your foot pain? If so, then you probably have questions about how your procedure will be performed and if any surgical hardware will be needed. Read on to learn about implant hardware that may be used by your foot surgeon.

Uses for Surgical Implants

If your podiatrist says that implants will be needed for your procedure, then he is referring to a type of surgical hardware that will be placed in or on your body. When it comes to ankles and foot surgery, implants are usually used to strengthen tendons and ligaments, attach tendons and ligaments to bone, hold bones together, or replace bone.

Materials for Surgical Implants

Surgical hardware in the form of implants is categorized as either biologic or non-biologic. Biologic options are those that are typically used to strengthened or replace damaged tissue and that are similar to human tissue. Biologic implants can also seem to disappear eventually. Implants that are non-biologic are those made from materials that are designed not to change over time. Examples of this type of hardware include plates and screws made from metal, plastic, and composite materials. Hardware that is plastic or biologic does not show up on x-ray. The material chosen by your doctor will depend on the application that it’s needed for.

Details About Surgical Implants

Patients commonly wonder if they will need to have their surgical hardware removed later. Generally, removal of an implant should not be necessary. However, if the hardware is limiting your motion or causing you pain after the surgical site has healed, then your surgeon may recommend that you have the hardware taken out in a second procedure. Also, patients can benefit from knowing that their surgical hardware for foot surgery should not set off airport alarms at their current sensitivities. Finally, many people wonder about the use of surgical hardware and infections. Today, no evidence shows that implants used in orthopedic surgery increase a patient’s risk of infection.