My broken leg Xrays that I got today.

[KvHotDog4]

Wow that looks horrible, I have never had a broken bone, when they put a metal rod in do they take out the bone??? or do they line the bone back up then kinda tie it to a metal rod to hold it in place until it heals then take the rod out??? Sorry if it sounds like a stupid question but I really don't know the answer

 

[RussellJ]

Wow that looks horrible, I have never had a broken bone, when they put a metal rod in do they take out the bone??? or do they line the bone back up then kinda tie it to a metal rod to hold it in place until it heals then take the rod out??? Sorry if it sounds like a stupid question but I really don't know the answer

neither. They drilled out the inside of the bone and slipped the rod inside. So the rod is inside my actual bone

 

[jwcfbd]

neither. They drilled out the inside of the bone and slipped the rod inside. So the rod is inside my actual bone

yup and then the somehow line up with the holes in the rods and run a drill through them. After that they run screws through the bone and rod to hold everything in place.

 

[KvHotDog4]

neither. They drilled out the inside of the bone and slipped the rod inside. So the rod is inside my actual bone

Wow that sounds more painful than the break. So how did they drill out the inside of your bone without taking it out??? and what kept the bone shavings (i guess is what they are called) from getting inside of you???

 

[jwcfbd]

Wow that sounds more painful than the break. So how did they drill out the inside of your bone without taking it out??? and what kept the bone shavings (i guess is what they are called) from getting inside of you???

It's magic. They go in through your knee joint and drill out the bone marrow. They don't drill the bone other then small holes to run the screws through. The only pain is where they cut the skin to get to every thing else.

 

[2hip]

Just for the uninitiated in basic biology...bones have a fatty cellular material in them called marrow. The long bones like the tibia play a major role in the production of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. They also have precursor cells that make more bone.
So large bones are hard on the outside and soft on the inside...the soft marrow is what is drilled through...

 

[KvHotDog4]

Oh ok I understand now, still sounds painful, maybe I will be able to stick to the tradition and not break any bones.