I had 14 screws and a plate in my ankle. I had them removed 1 year after they were put in (the initial injury). Removal seemed pretty routine with my surgeon, especially in patients under 30 years of age. I'm VERY glad I had them removed. Despite being told the hardware shouldn't make a difference, I noticed a big difference in comfort and joint mobility after it was all removed. My surgeon opened up the initial scar on both sides of my leg. Granted, he had sewn up the incisions internally the first time, so the scars after the initial surgery were very tidy, just over a hairline in width.

I missed 3 days of work following the hardware removal surgery. Recovery wasn't bad at all. Sure, it took time for the incisions to heal (about 5 inches each side). I did have to be careful for 6 weeks, as I essentially had a broken leg given 14 screw holes.

Now, your injury and hardware is much different than mine, but I wanted to share my experience!