Treatment of exposed fracture with high degree of laceration and bone loss of a thoracic limb in a dog

• Autor(a) principal: Ribeiro, Tatiane Avelar
• Data de Publicação: 2024
• Outros Autores: Pereira, Júlia Carolina Costa, Moreira, Amanda da Silva, Oliveira, Luiz Carlos Rêgo, Lima, Tiago Barbalho
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Medicina Veterinária (Recife. Online)
• Texto Completo: https://www.journals.ufrpe.br/index.php/medicinaveterinaria/article/view/5940
• topic: osteossíntese de ulna; cirurgia reconstrutiva; enxerto cutâneo; open fractures; reconstructive surgery; skin grafting

Open fractures are cortical bone ruptures with exposure of internal tissues to the external environment, its challenging treatment that can last for long periods until complete healing. The aim was to report the efficiency of the technique of osteosynthesis of the ulna and skin grafting in a canine with a high degree of laceration in the forelimb. A 4-month-old dog victim of a hit-and-run accident and having an extensive wound on the left forelimb was attended. On physical examination, the left forelimb had an exposed fracture with a high degree of bone loss in the radius and ulna region, associated with extensive cutaneous lacerations. On radiography, loss of the diaphyseal portion of the left radius and a segmental fracture in the left ulna were observed, in addition to a closed, simple, complete and transverse fracture in the proximal third of the right radius/ulna. Conservative treatment was chosen, immobilizing the right forelimb and dressing with bandage changes on the left side. After three days, osteosynthesis of the ulna of the left forelimb was performed using a unilateral linear external fixator associated with Shanz pins anchored in the ulna and in the remaining portions of the radius, carpus and metacarpus. With granulation tissue present after 25 days, skin grafting was performed. The animal showed complete wound healing and limb support in approximately 3 months. The choice of external fixator was successful contributing to the salvage of the limb in the present case.