Kemal ALTUNATMAZ, Murat KARABAĞLI, Didar DİDAR, Özlem GÜZEL, Ebru ERAVCI YALIN, Ümit UĞURLU, Defne Joan ŞADALAK, Himmet EKİCİ

The treatment of supracondylar and diaphyseal femoral fractures in cats using intramedullary two-way stacked Kirschner wire application

Femoral fractures in cats are treated using pin and wires, lag screws, Rush pins, intramedullary threaded pins, interlocking pins, clamp rod internal fixators, and plates or plate-rods. In this study, 14 cats brought to the surgery clinic between the years 2010 and 2015 for fracture, due to either a road traffic accident or falling from a height, were evaluated. Following clinical and radiological examination of the cases, the type and location of the fracture, details of the applied fixation method, and postoperative clinical and radiological results were assessed. Localization of the fractures was as follows: 4 comminuted diaphyseal (1 segmental), 6 comminuted distal, and 4 uncomplicated distal transversal fractures. All fractures were closed. Following intramedullary positioning of the pins, rigid stabilization was observed in the fracture line. In the case of the segmental fracture, better stabilization was achieved when the medullary canal was completely filled. The patients were able to use their extremities 3-5 days after surgery and started walking normally from postoperative day 10. Functional healing was seen to improve gradually. Radiographic examination revealed sufficient calli to have formed between days 32 and 44. Complete healing and return to function with no complications was recorded in all the cases.

Keywords:

Cat, femur, fracture, treatment, intramedullary fixation,

PDF

___

Whitehair JG, Vasseur PB. Fractures of the femur. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 1992; 2: 149-159.
Beale B. Orthopedic clinical techniques femur fracture repair. Clin Tech Small Anim Pract 2004; 19: 134-150.
Braden TD, Eicker SW, Abdinoor D, Prieur WD. Characteristics of 1000 femoral fractures in the dog and cat. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 1995; 8: 38-44.
Piermattei DL, Flo GL. Correction of abnormal bone growth and healing. In: Piermattei DL, Flo GL, DeCamp CE, editors. Brinker, Piermattei and Flo’s Handbook of Small Animal Orthopedics and Fracture Repair. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA, USA: WB Saunders Company; 1997. pp. 503-511.
Simpson DJ, Lewis DD. Fracture of the femur. In: Slatter D, editor. Textbook of Small Animal Surgery. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA, USA: WB Saunders Company; 2003. pp. 2059-2089.
Scotti S, Klein A, Pink J, Hidalgo A, Moissonnier P, Fayolle P. Retrograde placement of a novel 3.5 mm titanium interlocking nail for supracondylar and diaphyseal femoral fractures in cats. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2007; 20: 211-218.
Chandler JC, Beale BS. Feline orthopedics. Clin Tech Small Anim Pract 2002; 17: 190-203.
Coetzee GL. Long bone fracture fixation with an intramedullary pin and C-clamp-on plate in dogs: 21 cases (1992-1997). Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 1999; 12: 31-37.
Deyoung DJ, Probst CW. Methods of internal fracture fixation. In: Slatter DH, editor. Textbook of Small Animal Surgery. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA, USA: WB Saunders Company; 1993. pp. 1610-1627.
Zahn K, Matis U. The clamp rod internal fixator - application and results in 120 small animal fracture patients. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2004; 17: 110-120.
Altunatmaz K, Ozsoy S, Mutlu Z, Devecioglu Y, Guzel O. Use of intramedullary fully-threaded pins in the fixation of feline and canine humeral, femoral and tibial fractures. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2012; 25: 321-325.
Könning T, Maarschalkerweerd RJ, Endenburg N Theyse LFH. A comparison between fixation methods of femoral diaphyseal fractures in cats - a retrospective study. J Small Anim Pract 2013; 54: 248-252.
Ozsoy S. Fixation of femur, humerus and tibia in cats using intramedullary threaded Steinmann pins. Vet Rec 2004; 155: 152-153.
Denny HR, Butterworth SJ. A Guide to Canine and Feline Orthopaedic Surgery. 4th ed. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Science; 2000.
Johnson AL, Smith C, Schaeffer DJ. Fragment reconstruction and bone plate fixation versus bridging plate fixation for treating highly comminuted femoral fractures in dogs: 35 cases (1987-1997). J Am Vet Med Assoc 1998; 213: 1157-1161.
Langley-Hobbs SJ, Carmichael S, McCartney W. Use of external fixators in the repair of femoral fractures in cats. J Small Anim Pract 1996; 37: 95-101.
Aron DN, Foutz TL, Keller WG. Experimental and clinical experience with an IM pin external skeletal fixator tie-in configuration. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 1991; 4: 86-94.
Worth AJ. Management of fractures of the long bones of eight cats using external skeletal fixation and a tied-in intra- medullary pin with a resin-acrylic bar. NZ Vet J 2007; 55: 191- 197.
Hach V. Initial experience with a newly developed medullary stabilization nail (Trilam nail). Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2000; 13: 109-114.
Harari J. Treatments for feline long bone fractures. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2002; 32: 927-947.
Reems MR, Beale BS, Hulse DA. Use of a plate-rod construct and principles of biological osteosynthesis for repair of diaphyseal fractures in dogs and cats: 47 cases (1994-2001). J Am Vet Med Assoc 2003; 223: 330-335.
Hulse D, Hyman W, Nori M, Slater M. Reduction in plate strain by addition of an intramedullary pin. Vet Surg 1997; 26: 451- 459.
Stigen O. Supracondylar femoral fractures in 159 dogs and cats treated using a normograde intramedullary pinning technique. J Small Anim Pract 1999; 40: 519-523.
Fortere F, Tomek A, Rytz U, Brunnberg L, Jaggy A, Spreng D. Iatrogenic sciatic nerve injury in eighteen dogs and nine cats (1997-2006). Vet Surg 2007; 36: 464-471.