Clinical Application and Evaluation of Specialised Ring Fixators for the Management of Upper and Lower Limb Bone Fractures in Dogs

Abstract

Present study was conducted on nine-clinical cases of humerus (n=4), femur (n=3) and radius-ulna (n=2) fractures in dogs of either sex, weighing 5.5 to 18 kg. Both closed (n=6) and open (n=3) fractures were treated in this study. The fracture was reduced and stabilized by transfixation using modified ring fixators. Semicircular (n=4) and hybrid fixators (n=5) were used for upper limb and lower limb bones respectively. The main component of fixator i.e. aluminium rings were designed locally at Bikaner using 4-mm aluminium sheets and fabricated accordingly. Full rings were used for distal radial (n=2) and distal femoral (n=1) fractures whereas semicircular rings were made through cutting the full ring during surgery for specific humeral (n=4) and femoral (n=2) fractures. Specialised wire fixation bolt (iron based; weighing 5.5g) was also designed locally at Bikaner for transcortical pin and ring articulation. Humeral and distal femoral fractures are challenging while bone plating of distal radial fracture demands further surgeries therefore external fixators were modified and applied in present study. Operated limbs were evaluated clinically with serial postoperative radiographs at regular intervals. Fixator-assembly evaluation and functional recovery of operated limbs were considered as objectives of this study.