Old tricks, new dogs and cats: use of intramedullary pins and cerclage wires in 87 comminuted fractures in a first-opinion charity hospital

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the frequency of return to pain-free limb function and complication rate in canine and feline comminuted humeral, femoral and tibial fractures internally fixated with an IM pin and cerclage wires at a large first-opinion charity hospital. Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical and radiographic histories of 23 dogs and 64 cats that had comminuted fractures repaired with an IM pin and cerclage wire(s) in the last 2 years. Results: In dogs, there were 10 femoral, 6 humeral and 7 tibial fractures, with most (>90%) being moderately or severely comminuted and occurring in ages <4 years. In cats, there were 28 femoral, 24 humeral and 15 tibial fractures, with most (>80%) being moderately or severely comminuted and occurring in ages <2 years. All animals apart from one cat (98%) returned to painfree limb function within 20 weeks, with most (92%) achieving it by 14 weeks. Four dogs (17%) and six cats (9%) had mild complications of pin migration and two cats (3%) had postoperative infections. No complications led to fracture repair failure following suitable remedial action of pin trimming, removal or antibiosis. Statement: Use of IM pins and cerclage wires in internal fixation of comminuted long-bone fractures in dogs and cats is a straightforward, inexpensive and widely adaptable technique which in this first-opinion patient study showed a high degree of successful pain-free limb functional outcome. Complications were relatively common but easily rectified; IM pins and cerclage wires should continue to assume an important position in the orthopaedic surgeon's armoury.