dc.description.abstract | Summary
Background: Treatment methods for long bone fractures, spinal fractures and
instabilities, joint instabilities and luxations have numerous options for external
and internal fixations such as external skeletal fixator, (ESF), dynamic compression plate (DCP), limited contact dynamic compression plate (LC-DCP), clamp
rod internal fixator (CRIF, Synthes) and locking systems. Fracture stabilisation
techniques continue to evolve and to minimise the approaches with a safe and
rapid functional healing.
Objectives: This retrospective study describes the Sliding on Pivot Locking
Clamps system (SoPLC) and reports its application, outcome and complications
in dogs and cats.
Materials and Methods: Seventeen femur fractures, sixteen tibia fractures,
three humerus fractures, two scapulohumeral luxations, two radius-ulna fractures,
two pelvic fractures, two spinal luxations and two spinal fracture were treated by
the SoPLC system in 38 dogs and 9 cats. The SoPLC was designed with 2.0, 2.7
or 3.5 mm cortical screws. Data about the patient (species, breed, weight, age),
characteristics of the fracture, details of the surgery and perioperative complications were recorded. Thirty-five animals were available to evaluate clinically and
radiographically. Follow up time was on average three months.
Results and Discussion: All cases were successful in achieving bone healing
and joint stabilisation. Owners of 47 dogs and cats reported that their animals
had normal limb function. Complications were seen in 8 (17%) animals. Fixation
failure occurred in five fractures (10,6%), all of them correlated with osteoporosis.
Of the total of five fixation failures two were resolved by reoperation and in three
cases exercise restriction was applied. Permanent wound healing complications
were observed in three cases (6,4%). Our results suggest that SoPLC can be used
to stabilize long bone fractures, spinal fractures and instabilities, joint instabilities
and luxations of wide range of severity in dogs and cats. | en_US |