Saw the doctor today for the 2 week follow up and get the staples out.  The doc is happy with my progress, I am able to walk unassisted with all most no limp.  The only issue is the small piece of the drill bit that broke off in my femur.  It is about 2 cm long and 2.5 mm in diameter and 8 mm from the end of the cap shank.  Because of where it is I agreed it is best to leave it in my bone vs cutting into the femur. 

On the one hand, Neil, congrats! always good to hear of a good hippy result. On the other, they said that it was fine to leave it?

Wow how does that happen?  i too had 3 week today, iam limping pretty good still , back me off to 1 crutch, making me wait 2 weeks to swim, dont know why but whatever.  worked around farm on one crutch, looks like were on are way. walking no limp at 2 weeks impressed!!  tell me what your doing i thought i was doing good.

Hern,

The doctor said if it was his hip it would stay.  Also the amount of bone work would end up require a THR being done.

Iowa,

The doctor was impressed, in fact he asked if he could video me walking.  He will be using it for bragging rights with other doctors.

Neil, I remember a friend of mine had a metal pellet embedded in his cheekbone that the doctor left in because getting it out would have put other things at risk.

He had no issues at all from it and it's been there for at least 35 years, so if the doctor reassured you about it, I'm sure it's going to be fine.

I wonder if the drill bit is magnetic. You should check to see if you'll have any future MRI restrictions.

Wow, and we all thought Danny had dense bones.  You take the cake Neil.  I think I would leave it in too.

Best wishes.

Dan

Oh. My. God.

Did that really happen? I thought I mis-read your post.

I know that medical errors happen way, way more than we would ever like to think but is pretty baffling. More baffling that it is fine to leave it there.

I checked with the doctor, it is non magnetic stainless steel and cleared to have an MRI if needed.  Here is the xray. 

Good news. You must have some rock hard bones to break off the drill piece.

why is it way off coarse? wouldnt it be below stem?

Many people have metal still in their bones, when a reduction is performed on your femur you should see the hardware you walk around with.

I would not worry about the metal, your bone will cover it up.  One thing though, was that some sort of alignment hole for a rod that he was drilling?


Chuck

It was the small drain/vent hole that you can see directly below the broken piece.  The doctor said it is to aid in getting the debris from drilling the alignment/post hole and he applies suction there while setting the cap.

Anyways, congrats on how you're doing, what's a little extra metal among friends?

I just broke a really cheap drill bit off while drilling out a piece on my engine and I thought I had was in deep doodoo.

Interesting stuff.  Thanks for sharing.

Wow! That's impressive Neild5. I've seen xrays where they've left in scissors and other operation stuff but never a drill bit.

Cool!

Luanna

I prefer the end of a drill bit to a scissors being left in me.

Yup, my father had scissors left in him after abdominal surgery. Still has the xrays. (They're not there anymore).

Did the catch it while he was still under or was it a second surgery?

Second surgery.