The photographs below are REAL images of my surgery and are VERY GRAPHIC!
I have put a big space here intentionally so that no one views them "accidentally".
If you are squeamish at all, do NOT scroll down and do not watch the medical video (The photos are of me, but the video is not of me, it's a cadaver!)
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| FIRST TWO PLATES ARE IN! |
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| FOUR PLATES ARE IN |
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| THEY SEEM ALL IN POSITION ? |
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TIME TO SCREW THESE PLATES IN AND CLOSE!
Well about 120 screws! (maybe I have a few loose in my brain too? )
Photo of the ribs showing all my hardware (tons of screws)
Surgical fixation of flailed chest ( Manufacturer's Video)
In November 2011, I fell again (don't say it! Yes..again!) and broke my clavicle. New hardware was added.
The horizontal plate is Steel, with of course some more screws!!
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That big swelling at my shoulder...yes that was the broken clavicle before surgery!
I think the photos are pretty neat! THere was a short video done of my real surgery too but I cannot find it. Pout!
ReplyDeleteI had a this done back in may, 10 ribs broken 6 had to be plated. I didnt get any pics of it so im glad i got to see yours, thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteWell you are a lucky one Neil(Like I was)....to have been offered this surgery as it's still relatively new, and not all hospitals have doctors who have done it! My life and I am sure yours too, would not be the same without this surgery. I heard that from many, many doctors who I consulted with afterwards. The outcome if left alone, can mean a lifetime of pain and drugs, as the ribs don't heal in the correct position. Because ribs are always moving that deformity causes a lot of pain. Many die as they get pneumonia ( I think that was the worst part of the recovery....coughing up that phlegm buildup)..but I did it and never got pneumonia.
DeleteIt didn't take me long to make this decision but many don't have the option. I hope my blog somehow helps other people..by informing them this procedure is exists and is not as scary as it sounds initially. I think the photos are cool too! Hey those ribs are long and the plates are long! It's a big procedure we went through!
Thanks for sharing, I just had mine done November 24th. I did not get pneumonia too. Well its going to 2 months now and I still feel pain, please how is it before you stop using pain medication.
DeleteThanks for sharing, I just had mine done November 24th. I did not get pneumonia too. Well its going to 2 months now and I still feel pain, please how is it before you stop using pain medication.
DeleteBroke 4 in Nov.2016. 3 plated, 1 they let go. Drained lung full of blood.4days in hospital. Walked 5 mins home but pain was4-5 mnths. Still ache not hurt so much. Afraid to do things I did b4. Hang drywall etc.couldn't lay to sleep for a few months. Doc said get a lazyboy. Looked at her like she was crazy. Not an opiate fan but worked at night to get rest. Good luck. Again mine ache, not pure pain but it sucks.
DeleteJust seeing this. i have zero pain or problems with my rib plates. I had used pain killers just for under 2 mths post surgery
DeleteHope you are doing better.
How is it doing now Jennifer? Just wondered do you get much pain? I am so sorry all this happened to you. My son also has a broken titanium plate in his clavicle that never fused :( Lots of pain for him but he is sort of not sure to go to surgery because it broke.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been able to login in to my blog due to some changes with blogger and google so I apologize for not commenting before. This is my four year anniversary so I wanted to update the blog and now just saw your comment. I am doing just fine! I never have any pain. I got a steel plated clavicle...titanium ribs. But again...............zero pain. Not even 1% pain. ZERO. I am so lucky. And my lungs work better than ever. Go figure!
DeleteHello Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much for publishing your photos. September 2,2012 I was riding my Harley down Hwy 101 and was struck from behind by an 18 wheeler. I have no memory of the impact or the 90' flight I took at 65 miles an hour. I was blessed that the 1st 2 people who stopped were an RN AND a Surgeon who stabilized me for the helicopter ride with 10 shattered and broken ribs, fractured vertebrae, broken foot and lacerated spleen. I landed at the San Jose Trauma Center where I was the 5th person to receive this procedure as the 4th was done the day before and he shared my room. I am convinced that this new procedure saved my life as I don't think I could have survived the rehab without it. Thanks again, Bob S
I just came to this site as its my four year anniversary. I wasnt getting updates as I changed my email address. Now blogger is taken over by google and I cannot get to update my blog. Sigh.
DeleteANyway thanks for writing to me. Sorry about your accident. Yes you were lucky to get this procedure.....as wasI. How were your lungs? My left lung had shrunk to the size of my fingernail. The rehab from that was painful and the injury they thought I might not recover from. Many die from Pneumonia. But we are the lucky ones! WE must share our stories. No one knew about such a thing. Even now when I go to other doctors and they see my file...........they are amazed!
This is an amazing blog, as I have had this as well, I feel lucky I only got 3. I don't know anyone that had even heard of it let alone has it done. My ribs punctured my lung and they stitched that up just fine. I have some nerve damage and it's numb all over even my breast, but I'm alive and well.
DeleteThis is interesting. I fractured 6 ribs a year ago and ended up with a flail chest. My ribs were left alone and the recovery has been very uncomfortable. I was just in another accident and when they X-rayed my chest they found that those ribs are still displaced. I'm seriously considering trying to get plates so I'm not always in pain whenever I get the slightest bump on my left side.
ReplyDeletethere are some quack doctors out there
Delete. had 5 ribs plated last Thursday after visiting 2 docs who said just leave them alone. glad I did it!
This is interesting. I fractured 6 ribs a year ago and ended up with a flail chest. My ribs were left alone and the recovery has been very uncomfortable. I was just in another accident and when they X-rayed my chest they found that those ribs are still displaced. I'm seriously considering trying to get plates so I'm not always in pain whenever I get the slightest bump on my left side.
ReplyDeleteI had this procedure done on 4/25/16 after a motorcycle accident at ocala medical center.5 ribs plated back to work 3 weeks later no pain what so ever.thank you Dr. GARCIA and the medical team at ocala medical center ocala fl.
ReplyDeleteI had this procedure done on 4/25/16 after a motorcycle accident at ocala medical center.5 ribs plated back to work 3 weeks later no pain what so ever.thank you Dr. GARCIA and the medical team at ocala medical center ocala fl.
ReplyDeleteSo great to hear that you were able to get this surgery in Ocala. Let's hope more trauma units will have doctors trained to do rib plating.
ReplyDeleteToday is the 5th year anniversary of my accident. I was able to race my bike....wow.
So great to hear that you were able to get this surgery in Ocala. Let's hope more trauma units will have doctors trained to do rib plating.
ReplyDeleteToday is the 5th year anniversary of my accident. I was able to race my bike....wow.
I had this done in Cleveland Metro on June 7th due to motorcycle accident resulting in 10 crushed ribs. I've been home 3 weeks now (had multiple injuries). I'm still sore from the surgery but after reading about how much worse it could have been, I'm thankful for the plating surgery.
ReplyDeleteI had this done in Cleveland Metro on June 7th due to motorcycle accident resulting in 10 crushed ribs. I've been home 3 weeks now (had multiple injuries). I'm still sore from the surgery but after reading about how much worse it could have been, I'm thankful for the plating surgery.
ReplyDeleteA very close love one had this done October, 2015. He is still suffering from pain. I'm really happy you and others are doing so well...but my guy isn't. He's even had surgery for fixing what taking out the chest tubes did to him while being removed just a few months ago!
ReplyDeleteDo you have any further resources for us? For reference? He had 7 ribs plated...and we can find little to no resources to help us figure out what to tell doctors and how to get doctors to help us.
Cycle accident resulted in 6 fractured and displaced ribs... 4 were plated and lower 2 healed on their own. My first chest tube was inserted too high and almost 3 years on I still experience immense discomfort in my left side and breast and I’m not sure if the reason. I find myself holding my left chest on the side to alleviate the feeling when I have bad days. Wondering if it will ever feel normal?
DeleteOMG im scared....
ReplyDeleteOMG im scared....
ReplyDeleteI broke nine ribs, punctured lung,flail lung, foot fracture, broken clavicle and compressed vertebrae, all because of a ladder incident. This happened on Oct. 26, 2006. The rib plating is doing it's job and I'm still working through Anemic issues but I feel better every week.I am so happy that this procedure was in place near by. I will be back playing tennis by Febuary 2017....John Charles
ReplyDeleteMy husband just fell on sat. The hosp has done xray and ct. My husband broke 6 ribs and they even shattered. Part of his lung is herniated through his rib. it's a not a big city hosp and there telling us he is a candidate for titanium rib plating. The hospitalist said she need to discuss it with her team but there not there??? But they cant even poss concider it till Wednesday as they don't have the supplies needed or team?
ReplyDeleteShe said the surgery is cutting edge. It helps with recovery, and will protect the lungs and help prevent or lessen the chance of a PE or phenomena. The doctor is saying it makes no difference waiting??? To me that make no sense. I would love some perspective...
I've had mine done I have 8 of them done it's been about 6 months since mine has been done I'm still in a lot of pain but I would say get the surgery done
DeleteI can't speak for my husband, but can from your perspective
ReplyDeleteMy Wonderful had his accident on a Thursday evening. It was Monday late afternoon when surgery occurred. It's a little over a year later and it was worth doing.
It's a tough recovery. For him and you. Ask the staff lots of questions. You did great finding this obscure post and writing. It truly doesn't make much of a difference to wait from Sat-Wed...to the healing and recovery from the surgery. It just sucks how much pain he is in and your helplessness watching.
It's going to be a long road. Do for both of you what you can and make sure you take care of yourself too. He needs you badly - even if you're quiet in the his room.
The recovery for my husband without the rib plating is unimaginable to me. I think there was an instance, on reality TV show, where a young man was hurt very badly and the plating was not done. Google about a show about families living in Alaska. The injuries happened either TV fall 2015 season or about then.
I fractured 16 ribs less than 6 months ago in an accident. I had plating on the 8 worst damaged ribs and I am healthier than I was before. I quit smoking, huge help. But the body does amazing things. Without this surgery I would have had a miserable life. Age 41, 2 kids and would have had chronic pain. I don't even need Tylenol anymore. Sneezing still pinches a tiny bit but only on the side that the fractures were not bad enough for surgery. Having this procedure saved my life.
ReplyDeleteI was in a horrible motorcycle accident about 6 months ago broke 10 ribs totally turned my lung into moosh it was punctured so mucheck also broke my arm 13 places broke my pelvis in 4 places chipped every verdabrea in my back split my kidney in half ruptured my spleen removed that and my kidney I'm still in a lot of pain but it was worth it i guess other than they saved my life to hold my wife as she passed away from cancer 5 months after my accident
ReplyDeleteIt is now 10 months later and dome days I'm still having back pain but dealing with it as my tibia fracture has most of my attention. My rib surgeon released me from his care about 5 or 6 months ago so I'm not sure what if anything should I do but hope they are still healing. Travis I'm so sorry for your load
ReplyDeleteLoss, my apology
ReplyDeleteI was in an MVA in 2014. Survived a Polytrauma. One of the sets of injuries I sustained was flail chest of all ribs on right side (except number 1 rib) fractured in many places, pneumothorax, hemothorax and R lung contusion and about a quarter size hold in R lung from chest wall trauma.
ReplyDelete10 months after MVA a Trauma Surgeon plated ribs 5,6,7,8,9,and 10 on the R side as nonunion with no healing (not even cartilage) He left 3,4, and 11 non-plated though still fractured. I went from 700 on the spirometer to about 1500 after surgery. It was the best decision I made during this recovery process.
I am curious who did his surgery and also how long it took and how you are doing now? Any flankvpain? Do you get muscle spasms?
I Was in a motorcycle accident March 2016 8 broken ribs,collapsed lung,fractured sternum.I'm still in the same pain as day one.trying to find. Dr to help. 2 of the plates are out of postion,not sure if I'm having a reaction.still swelling ever day.still on pain meds.
ReplyDeleteWas thrown from my horse Sept 9th. 5 broken ribs and a broken clavical. For the clavical they want me to wear a sling for 6 weeks and it is still painful. 4 of my ribs were plated. I have a pretty high pain tolerance but wanted to die after surgery. I felt like I have been sawed in half. 2 weeks later I am only on Tylenol and advil but am astonished at how fast the rest of you recovered. I was in the hospital for 12 days. I know I over protect my clavical for it to heal and the one rib not plated is sore. Still not sleeping in bed. Your blog has given me hope to push on. I have not returned to work since it involves working with horses all day and I'm still protective. I have an appointment with a pulmonary doctor to check my lung volume since I'm still short of breath. Everyone's positive experience has given me a positive push today. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI had an ATV accident in May 2015. I had a collapsed lung and 10 broken ribs. I have malunion and nonunion causing major chest wall deformity. I have chronic pain and weakness. I have researched surgeons that could possibly fix this. I have one in my area but he hasn't done one that involves as much as this would. It would most likely require 7 plates. Also I'm wandering if they would even do it this long after injury. (2 years). Any auggestions? Thanks Ashley McCaleb
ReplyDeleteHey! Just thought I’d share my story. Motorcycle accident back in October of 2017 (about 6 months ago) and had 16 broken ribs. They decided to plate 3 of my ribs on left side because they were in my lung. Currently left side is still uncomfortable but it much better than not having thoracotomy. Just went back for second surgery on right side. Ribs healed so bad that my lung was at about 50%. They went in and rebroke 5 ribs and put plates on. This recovery is much worse, but very worth it seeing as I can already breathe better than before. I am 26 years old and docs didn’t want me going through life with horrible displaced ribs and poor lung function. Is very tough surgery but worth it!!
ReplyDeleteRib fixation is a smart option if you have ribs that are displaced - out of alignment. I had a deer run into me while riding a dual sport motorcycle on a dirt road. 18 fractures of 10 ribs on left side, plus moderate lung contusion with bleeding. Of the 10 ribs, 4 were completely displaced and 2 partially displaced.Those 6 had titanium plates installed. 3 fractures we're so close to the spine there wasn't enough room to mount plates to. The last of the 10 was the top rib and not displaced so they left that one alone. The pain was reduced by more than 50% immediately after the surgery. That was 3 months ago. Now the issue is the damaged muscle tissue, not the broken ribs. For weeks I thought the pain I had was from the ribs, but it was instead from the cut and smashed muscle. So I go to physical therapy 3x per week, the difference is amazing. Had to wait until I was 8 weeks out from surgery to start therapy, but had I known the issue was more muscle than bone I would have started earlier. So in closing, rib fixation pretty much saved my lifestyle. It would be miserable to have displaced ribs not get put back into alignment. I figure in a few more months this should be little more than an occasional discomfort, far better than the alternative.
ReplyDeleteI was thrown off my horse July 22nd. Ended up with 24 fractures in left rib cage total of 27 with 3 vertebrae Six fixed with plates. Still having pain almost 3 months later.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know when the pain stops. Pain is from non plated ribs. Plus still have fluid from the punctured and collapsed lung. I've been told by several physicians that I'm lucky to still be alive.
You will have pain from the ribs and pain from the muscle tissue that was damaged, either from the accident or cut in surgery. It can be very difficult to tell the difference between the two. With that many fractures it will take time to heal it all. Be sure to take calcium supplements so the bones heal quick and strong. Get into physical therapy to get the muscle back in shape. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You're going to hurt for a while. Each accident is different but I'd guess it's going to be several more months, maybe longer. Again, the muscle will be so tight it will feel like rib pain. It took me a while to know the difference. I swore I wad feeling the ribs when it was tight muscle that had been cut. After 8-9 weeks of bone healing one has to get moving to get the muscle loosened up. Physical therapy jump starts the process. Hang in there, it will get better.
DeleteThank you for the post. I will definitely comeback. Pain Under Left Rib Cage
ReplyDeleteI had a terrible car accident and smashed 8 ribs which were replaced with titanium. It's now over 18 months since and I am still in a great deal of pain and breathlessness if I exert myself. I hope eventually things will get better.
ReplyDeleteTitanium plates
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