Pen is one type of implant that is used to repair bone damage, for example when a bone is cracked or a bone is broken. The pen is designed to stay in the body forever, but there are certain conditions that make it necessary to have a pen removal procedure performed.
The pen used is usually metal. This pen serves to help broken bones return to the correct position. Using a pen on a broken bone doesn't help the bone to heal faster. Pen is more function to hold the bone in the correct position during the healing period.
The length of the healing process for a broken bone can vary. Generally, young people recover faster than older people. Nutritional intake also affects the length of bone healing. However, in general, the average fracture healing process is 6–8 weeks.
Reasons Why Pen Extraction Procedure Needs To Be Done
The pen is designed to stay in the body forever. However, under certain conditions, the metal components of the pen can irritate the surrounding tissue, causing arthritis and other complications.
There are several conditions in which it is necessary to remove the pen, namely:
- The pen causes the user to have allergies, fractures, or other disorders of the bones.
- The pen is implanted in a young child. In this condition, the pen needs to be removed to prevent bone growth disorders.
- The patient asked for the pen to be removed, for example for fear of causing problems if it passed through a metal detector during a security check.
There are several signs that indicate a problem with the metal pen, including:
- Pain at the location of the pen installed
- Discomfort, for example palpable friction of the pen under the skin
Removal or removal of the pen can reduce the above symptoms, relieve pain, and increase range of motion and bone function. In this way, the patient can function normally.
How is the Pen Extraction Procedure Performed?
Both pen removal and pen insertion are part of orthopedic surgery and are performed by an orthopedic specialist (orthopedic doctor). Before the pen removal surgery is performed, the patient will be anesthetized, either local or general anesthesia. Under general anesthesia, the patient will fall asleep during the operation.
In this operation, the surgeon will either open the skin through an old incision or make a new incision. The doctor will remove any scar tissue that has formed around the pen, but will retain important structures. After that, the doctor will remove the pen.
During surgery, the doctor can also perform other actions if needed. For example, a surgeon may remove infected tissue. If the bone has not healed, additional procedures may also be performed, such as a bone graft procedure.
Finally, the doctor will suture the surgical incision in the skin, then cover it with a bandage. Doctors can prescribe oral medication in the form of antibiotics to prevent infection and pain medication to reduce pain after surgery.
Before deciding to undergo pen removal, you need to first consult with an orthopedic doctor. The doctor will weigh the benefits and risks of this procedure, as well as check whether your bones have healed properly, taking into account the location and severity of the fracture, as well as your age and nutritional intake.
Written by:
dr. Sonny Seputra, M.Ked.Klin, Sp.B, FINACS
(Surgeon Specialist)
