joykid

I fell from bike and my radius and ulna are broken, was taken to ER and was diagnosed to have Monteggia's fracture, doctor said I should have a surgery to fix it. So I had a surgery, then few days later I took a x-ray. I noticed there is something weird on the x-ray, but at that time I haven't had a chance to ask the doctor because he was on vacation and be back weeks later and only assistant nurse is available.
I am worried since I saw a "small thing" (see the red circled area) that looks different from the screws that are used to hold my radius and ulna, also it is located outside of the area of fracture (please see the pic before surgery, only radius and ulna had a fracture, whereas the humerus doesn't have any fracture. I hope it is not something that they left behind due to negligence during surgery.

Can somebody please enlighten me what kind of thing is it or have any idea of it or can direct me to who/where to find more info of it (the one in the red circled area), any help or advice is greatly appreciated:

Jaymadd

looks like a drywall expansion anchor screw to me.

https://www.athomealterations.com/201...ng-screws.html

Velo Dog

Pretty sure that's it...
If it were me, I'd call the office and ask them to check with another doc if mine wasn't back. Really, though, there's no reason to hurry. Either it's OK And they'll leave it in or it's not and they'll go get it, but a week or two isn't likely to make any difference.

Drag

Well, looks like you may be getting a new Cippollini superbike!

SCochiller

How about seeking an opinion from a qualified orthopedic surgeon?

cocar

It's definately an anchor screw. I'm certain they didn't put it there by mistake. Did you blow out a tendon when you fractured your arm? They might have used that screw to anchor a piece of heavy suture to the bone to help repair a torn elbow tendon and make it more stable (the suture won't show up on an x-ray, only bone and metal). Usually those screws are used to anchor suture or wire to the bone in a spot where there is nothing else to attach it to. And they should be left in. I can't tell for sure, I'm just speculating...but I don't think you need to worry about it.

You can just wait until your surgeon gets back to ask him about it. It's nothing to panic over.

pgjackson

Uh...hello troll. First post and this is it? Go talk to your doctor. First two pictures are the elbow. Second two are the knee. Get your story straight.

ruindd

Yeah, a very dedicated troll too.

https://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...php?p=13019331

catonec 

your elbow turned into a knee!!! you better call a wizard or a genie or something.

joykid

Thank you everyone for your advice....and I assure you upper and below pictures are the pictures of my left arm. Please see carefully, the radius and ulna are different from knee. And I am not trolling.....I am in panic and distress now , waiting until my doc come back. So I am desperately need any of your advice/opinion, and I am really grateful for any help/suggestion

joykid

So they didn't leave it behind because of negligence during surgery, right? most likely it's something that purposely left there
I am happy to find some kind hearted soul in this forum, I believe you reap what you sow, and for those who are willing to help, may God bless you.

znomit

You're in the US, right?
If they were negligent you wouldn't have the xrays.

Machka 

+1

No one could be so incredibly stupid as to believe that they'll get medical advice about something like this from a cycling forum.

byte_speed

He will no doubt get advice, this is the 41, both good and incredibly bad. Which will he follow, there is the question (especially on a forum where he knows nobody)?

Gluteus

Yes.

Umm...no.

SilverStretch

The bad news is that my cut-rate insurance won't cover imaging. The GOOD news is that I have an internet bicycle forum as my X-Ray tech.

Next week: the 41 is asked to interpret results from the Large Hadron Collider.

SCochiller

fify.

rebel1916

I think it's a tumor.

rumrunn6

me so happy to be chucking

Machka 

+1

And he's going to die.

surgeonstone

If you look even casually at the lower set of x-rays, clearly not of the knee. The knee obviously has a knee cap, not seen in lower films. Look at size of upper and lower limb soft tissue densities, not a size compatible with the lower extremity. Look at the size of the bones relative to one another in the lower films, clearly not containing the much more massive tibial plateau. It is what the OP says it is, the elbow.

surgeonstone

Well pcad is expecting advice on a subject much more subtle and difficult to diagnose than a retained or intentional object? Lots post here for obscure medical advice and often get even more obscure answers. "Dry wall screw", I like that one.

DaveWC

Flip it.

Machka 

Is the US medical system in such bad shape that people need to come here for a diagnosis?

If I were glancing over my X-rays, and saw something like that and wasn't sure what it was ... well first of all, my Dr would go over my X-rays with me, and tell me what I'm seeing ... but supposing for some unknown reason he/she did not do that ... then I'd ring up my Dr, make an appointment for later that day or maybe the next day, and go ask him/her.

surgeonstone

Silly question. Why assume he is asking for definitive medical advice. Why assume he would actually act on anything he read here. Why not assume he is a fellow cyclist curious about something and bringing it up conversationally to fellow cyclists. That is what I do with threads and info found here.
As to the shape of the US medical system, though imperfect I would still rather be here when serious advice and service required than anywhere else. But hey, I am biased am I not