equis - Articles
Radius: fracture repair
Introduction
- Successful management of radial fractures can be achieved through a number of different modalities depending upon the owner's wishes and financial status, fracture configuration, size of animal and extent of soft tissue injuries.
- The most common surgical technique is plating via internal fixation.
Uses
- Repair of simple mid-diaphyseal or metaphyseal radial fractures, usually in foals, yearlings or small adults Radius: fracture
.
Advantages
- Treatment of choice for mid-diaphyseal simple fractures in foals or small adults (up to 300 kg bodyweight) with relatively good prognosis for future soundness.
- An intact caudal cortex improves prognosis.
Disadvantages
- Expensive.
- Technically challenging.
- Significantly poorer results in distal metaphyseal/epiphyseal or comminuted fractures and especially where articular surfaces involved.
- Poor results in adults (>400 kg).
Alternative techniques
- See fractures of radius Radius: fracture .
- Conservative: rest + external coaptation Musculoskeletal: external fixation - casts .
- Transfixation pinning.
- External fixators.
Time required
Preparation
- General anesthesia induction and maintenance: 20 min.
- Aseptic preparation: 15 min.
Procedure
- Depends upon fracture configuration, age and size of animal, type of implant and ability of surgeon: 90-180 min.
Decision taking
Criteria for choosing test
- Type of fracture and configuration.
- Size of animal.
- Cost involved.
- Additional injuries especially soft tissue.
Risk assessment
- Problems of first aid treatment Musculoskeletal: fracture - first aid , anesthetic induction Anesthesia: induction - overview and recovery Anesthesia: recovery - overview , anesthetic time and post-operative problems such as myopathies Muscle: myopathy - postanesthetic and opposite limb overuse.
Requirements
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Preparation
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Technique
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Aftercare
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Rodgerson D H, Wilson D A & Kramer J (2001) Fracture repair of the distal portion of the radius by use of a condylar screw implant in an adult horse. JAVMA 218 (12), 1966-1969 PubMed.
- Zamos D T et al (1994) Repair of fractures of the distal aspect of the radius in two horses. Vet Surg 23 (3), 172-176 PubMed.
- Baxter G M et al (1991) Repair of an open radial fracture in an adult horse. Equine Vet J 199 (3), 364-367 PubMed.
- Németh F et al (1991) The use of the walking cast to repair fractures in horses and ponies. Equine Vet J 23 (1), 32-36 PubMed.
Other sources of information
- J A Auer (1996) Fractures of the radius. In: Equine Fracture Repair. Ed: A J Nixon. W B Saunders, USA. ISBN 0-7216-6754-6.