Twenty-two fractures of the distal radius and ulna in small dogs and cats treated
with a tubular external fixator system were evaluated. Radius/ulna fractures in toy
breeds often occur in the distal metaphyseal region. Placing two screws through a
bone plate in the distal radius in such cases is difficult even if a miniplate is
used. The tubular external fixator allows multiple-pin clamping in parallel with a
single connecting bar. Using this technique, four pins can be placed in a bone fragment,
the length of which would hold only two screws in a 2.0 mini-DCP. The tubular external
fixator was found to be a satisfactory alternative to bone plating for the fixation
of distal radial/ulnar fractures, providing sufficient fracture stability with minimal
soft tissue trauma.
Keywords
Tubular external fixator - radius/ulna fracture - small dog - cat