Is Gordon Hayward's second surgery anything to worry about? Dr. Flynn checks in

The Celtics surprised everyone on Wednesday night by announcing that Gordon Hayward underwent a successful second surgery on his ankle and fibula earlier in the day. The team revealed that doctors removed the plate and screws that were implanted following the broken fibula Hayward suffered on opening night back in October.

The team also indicated that Hayward’s ankle and fibula are both structurally sound, and the removal of the plate and screws were necessary as they were causing irritation to his peroneal tendons. He is expected to be fully healthy for training camp and should be able to return to basketball activities in the next six-to-eight weeks.

The team's detailed press release left little to the imagination, but a second surgery within 9 months is natural to make people wonder a bit about Hayward's long-term prognosis. Is a procedure like this standard for a person with this kind of injury?

To get a little more clarity on the situation, I turned to BostonSportsJournal.com medical expert Dr. Jessica Flynn for her insight and whether there is any cause for concern.

Dr. Flynn: It is very common for patients to have the hardware removed after ankle fracture open reduction and internal fixation surgery. The location of the ankle hardware can make it very uncomfortable for all patients, not just professional athletes. A common cause of discomfort is rubbing of one of the plates on the peroneal tendons on the outer (lateral) side of the ankle.

Surgery to remove hardware must wait until the fracture is fully healed and is generally done at a minimum of 6 months after the initial surgery. Athletes rest the ankle initially to allow the screw holes in the bone and incisions to heal, but the rehabilitation process can gradually be resumed over a few weeks. This is a great sign that Hayward is healing well and not a cause for concern.