Hardware doesn't necessarily have to come out. Ortho doctor recently said that she's willing to take it out, but she's giving a 50/50 chance of it helping or making it worse. It's hard to say for sure if the hardware is part of the problem, it's never been really clear cut in his case. The pain is only directly over the hardware recently as he's started using it more with the rollerblading. So we're just waiting it out and giving it more time in hopes that he will continue to improve without surgery.

I was told the same thing. Not necessary and 50/50. But I had an overload of hardware. When looking over my x rays it was like whydid you have that full bicycle chain put in.....
Good that you are monitoring.... Keep us updated...

i am not sure about the impact of surgery and implants for crps II. i have crps I so i know that surgery can cause spread in crps I. but i was also told having any kind of implant could cause spread in crps I as well. (that's why i have avoided dental implants for the teeth i had to have pulled.) if i were you i would get several opinions from your drs i.e. pm dr, neurologist and gp and then make the best informed decision you can. personally i've gotten spread from surgery and from just banging my hand accidentally on something. i don't think there is any sure answer to the question of crps/rsd spread but if i had implants that did not need to come out and i wasn't getting spread from them, i would probably avoid surgery if at all possible. but i am not a dr so please don't go by my opinion. it's just what i think i would do if i were in your situation. hope whatever you decide you feel better soon. hugs.