Minimally Invasive Fixation of a Lateral Tibial Plateau Fracture in a Dog

Although guidelines for repairing tibial plateau fractures in dogs are available in some textbooks, successful tibial plateau fracture repair in the dog has not been documented in the veterinary literature. A 9-year-old spayed female bull terrier was presented for acute nonweight bearing lameness of the right hind limb. Radiographs revealed a lateral tibial condyle articular fracture. Computed tomography confirmed a midsagittal fracture of the lateral tibial condyle. Arthroscopy was used to visualize the fractured tibial articular surface and inspect the intra-articular structures. A large flap tear of the lateral meniscus was identified and arthroscopic hemimeniscectomy was performed. Pointed bone reduction forceps were applied percutaneously to oppose the fracture segments. A single 2.7 cortical screw was placed in lag fashion through a lateral stab incision across the fracture under fluoroscopic guidance. Following stabilization of the fracture, anatomic reduction of the fracture, and appropriate implant positioning was confirmed with postoperative radiographs. The dog regained normal limb function, with only mild, very transient stiffness after rest. This is the first report of fixation of a suspected traumatic tibial plateau fracture in the dog. Lateral tibial plateau fracture should be considered as a differential for dogs with traumatic stifle injuries. Assessment of surrounding soft tissue structures, and a minimally invasive approach to repair should be considered. We suspect that timely intervention and the use of minimally invasive techniques contributed to the favorable outcome of the reported case.

Acknowledgment: There was no proprietary interest or funding provided for this project.