Fox Steven M. - Small animal fracture repair: a case-based approach

Small Animal
Fracture Repair

A Case-Based Approach

Karl H. Kraus

DVM, MS, Professor and Section Head,

Small Animal Surgery, Veterinary Clinical Sciences,

College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, USA

Steven M. Fox

MS, DVM, MBA, PhD, President of Fox Third Bearing Inc,

President Securos Surgical, Adjunct Associate Professor, Massey University (NZ),

Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois,

Advisor to the University of Tennessee Pain Center, USA

Fredrick S. Pike

DVM, DACVS, Staff Surgeon, Managing Medical Director,

Veterinary Specialty Hospital, San Diego, USA

Emily C. Salzer

Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine,

Iowa State University, USA

CRC Press

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2017 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

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Version Date: 20160426

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-4987-3242-0 (Hardback)

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Please note that some contributors were residents during the clinical cases detailed.

Anthony E. Acquaviva, VMD, DACVS-SA

Sean Aiken, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA

Ben J. Bayer, DVM, DACVS-SA

Mary Sarah Bergh, DVM, DACVS-SA

Andrew Burton, DVM, DACVS-SA

William Hoefle, DVM, DACVS

Jennifer L. Huck, DVM, DACVS-SA

Joshua Jackson, DVM, DACVS-SA

Nina Kieves, DVM, DACVS-SA

Alexander Krebs, DVM, DACVS-SA

Emily I. Miller, DVM, DACVS-SA

Megan Templeton, DVM, DACVS-SA

Angel M. Thompson, DVM, DACVS-SA

Eric Zellner, DVM

Fracture cases can be dramatic and intimidating. Dramatic, as they are often caused by motor vehicle accidents or other trauma. The patient can be in shock with other concomitant injuries. There are often deformities of the limb(s), debilitation and pain. Intimidating, because they are infrequent in most primary practices. Fractures can vary widely in severity and complexity. There are many different, and ostensibly complex, fixation devices available. Mistakes and failures are glaringly obvious on radiographs. There are usually a number of opinions amongst surgeons as to the best way to treat a specific fracture. The end result is that a student, practitioner, or even experienced surgeon may have doubts about the best way to handle a specific patients fracture(s).

The intention of this book is to provide some small degree of guidance to the understanding and treatment of fracture cases. This book consists of two parts..

is an anthology of cases demonstrating successful treatments for more common fractures seen in small animal veterinary practice. Each case starts with pertinent history and physical examination findings, patient assessment, fracture description and assessment, and options for fracture repair methods. The surgery report follows with a step-by-step approach to the surgical procedure, including some tips and tricks to performing the fracture repair successfully. The postoperative radiographs are then assessed using the four As: Alignment, Apposition, Apparatus and Activity (for follow-up assessment).

It has been a long-standing frustration for the authors to read and hear of cases reported to do fine postoperatively without the support of follow-up radiographs. Not all fracture healing is elegant, as is witnessed by the following inclusive cases. A fracture having healed with a large and ugly callus can be an absolute clinical success. Each case within this text has at least one follow-up set of radiographs, and each case was considered to have had a successful outcome; the animal returning to activity following the last set of radiographs presented and the owners expectations having been met.

This text is meant to be helpful on several different levels. First, for the veterinary student this is a quick and highly visual reference of many different types of fractures and repair techniques to aid in the understanding of osteosynthesis. Second, for the practitioner who performs little, or no, orthopedic surgery, this book will serve as a quick reference guide. They can compare their own case to one or more of the examples in a helpful guide in decision making and surgical technique. For the seasoned orthopedist, the cases presented may either reinforce or offer new alternatives with regard to techniques and devices they commonly favor.