Summary
This report describes limb-sparing surgery in a 35 kg, six-year-old Hungarian Vizsla
with a distal radial lytic bone lesion. Preoperative biopsy had suggested a bone cyst,
however histopathology on the excised bone segment was indicative of an osteosarcoma.
Following excision of the tumour, the bone defect was filled with a composite bone
graft and stabilized with a custom-made dorsal 3.5/2.7 mm pancarpal arthrodesis plate
and an orthogonally positioned medial 2.7 mm compression plate. This technique has
not previously been described for limb-sparing procedures. No complications were encountered,
and despite the owners declining adjunctive chemotherapy, the dog was alive 34 months
postoperatively with near normal limb function.
Keywords
Canine - osteosarcoma - limb-sparing - orthogonal bone plates