Summary
A five-year old, spayed female, Bearded Collie was presented with a 24-hour history
of non-weight-bearing lameness of the right thoracic limb after sustaining vehicular
trauma. Radio-graphs revealed a craniolateral scapulohumeral luxation and a distally
and medially displaced fracture of the lesser tubercle of the humerus. Open reduction
and internal fixation of the fracture was achieved with lag screw fixation and an
anti-rotational Kirsch-ner wire. Surgical repair resulted in compression across the
fracture line, anatomic reduction of the articular surface, and a stable scapulohumeral
joint following reduction of the humeral head in the glenoid. Six weeks postoperatively,
the patient exhibited no evidence of pain or lameness on the right thoracic limb and
radiographs revealed complete healing of the fracture and normal articulation of the
scapulohumeral joint. This is the first report of a lesser tubercle fracture associated
with a craniolateral shoulder luxation. Surgical intervention resulted in the return
of full shoulder joint function in this dog.
Keywords
Scapulohumeral luxation - lesser tubercle fracture - Spica splint