Interlocking Nail Fixation of an Opening Wedge Corrective Osteotomy for Femoral Malunion in a Dog

Summary

A young Malamute dog had a severe angular, shortening and rotational deformity of one femur due to malunion. An opening-wedge, corrective osteotomy was stabilized using an 8 mm diameter interlocking nail, with two screws proximally and two distally. Three months after the operation the osteotomy healed and lameness had resolved.

An 8 mm diameter interlocking nail was used to stabilize a corrective osteotomy of a femoral malunion in a dog.

Keywords

Femur - malunion - corrective osteotomy - interlocking nail

• REFERENCES

• 1 Anson LW. Malunions. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 1991; 21: 761-80.
• 2 Brinker WO, Piermattei DL, Flo GL. Handbook of Small Animal Orthopedics and Fracture Treatment. 2nd edition. Philadelphia: Saunders 1990; 118
• 3 Franczuszki D, Chalman JA, Butler HC, De-Bowes RM, Leipold H. Postoperative effects of experimental femoral shortening in the mature dog. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 1987; 23: 429-37.
• 4 Johnson RG, Poole AR. Degenerative changes in dog articular cartilage induced by unilateral tibial valgus osteotomy. Exp Pathol 1988; 33: 145-64.
• 5 Frost HM. Intermediary organization of the skeleton. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 1986
• 6 Schneider M. The effect of growth on femoral torsion. J Bone Joint Surg 1963; 45 A 1439-49.
• 7 Mast J, Jakob R, Ganz R. Anticipation (preoperative planning). In: Planning and Reduction Technique in Fracture Surgery. Mast J, Jakob R, Ganz R. (eds) Berlin: Springer; 1989: 11-47.
• 8 Johnson KA. Osteotomy. In: Manual of Internal Fixation of Fractures in Small Animals. 2nd edition. Brinker WO, Prieur WD, Olmstead ML, Sumner-Smith G. (eds) Berlin: Springer; 1995. (in press)
• 9 Sikes RI, Olds RB, Renegar W, Wayne S. Dome osteotomy for the correction of long bone malunions: case reports and discussion of surgical technique. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 1986; 22: 221-6.
• 10 Johnson KD. Management of malunion and nonunion of the tibia. Orthop Clin North Am 1987; 18: 157-71.
• 11 Scheffer MM, Peterson HA. Opening-wedge osteotomy for angular deformities of long bones of children. J Bone Joint Surg 1994; 76 A 325-34.
• 12 Muir P, Johnson KA, Markel MD. Area moment of inertia for comparison of implant cross-sectional geometry and bending stiffness. V.C.O.T 1995; 8: 146-52.
• 13 Grill F. Correction of complicated extremity deformities by external fixation. Clin Orthop 1982; 241: 166-76.
• 14 Aron DN, Dewey CW. Application and postoperative management of external skeletal fixators. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 1992; 22: 69-97.
• 15 Black AP, Withrow SJ. Changes in the proximal femur and coxofemoral joint following intramedullary pinning of diaphyseal fractures in young dogs. Vet Surg 1979; 8: 19-24.
• 16 Muir P, Parker RB, Goldsmid SE, Johnson KA. Interlocking intramedullary nail stabilization of a diaphyseal tibial fracture. J Small Anim Pract 1993; 34: 26-30.
• 17 Durall I, Diaz MC, Morales I. An experimental study of compression of femoral fractures by an interlocking intramedullary pin. V.C.O.T 1993; 6: 93-9.
• 18 Dueland RT, Johnson KA. Interlocking nail fixation of diaphyseal fractures in the dog. A multicenter study of 1992-93 cases. Vet Surg 1993; 22: 377