A Clinical Study on the Use of Supracondylar Plate in the Treatment of Distal Femoral Fractures in Dogs

Abstract

Background: The current study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical efficacy of supracondylar plate for repair of distal femoral fractures in dog. The distal extremity of femur is the greatest weight bearing area, supracondylar plate is an orthopaedic plate system that is pre-contoured to the complex shape of the lateral surface of the canine distal femur. Methods: The study was conducted on six dogs presented with femur fracture to the Department of Surgery and Radiology, CVSc., Hyderabad over a period of 6 months (2020-21). Diagnosis based on the clinical signs, orthopaedic examination and radiography. Three fractures in right hind limb and three in the left limb. In dogs weighing less than 10 kg (N=3) were stabilized using 2.7 mm supracondylar plate while in dogs weighing more than 10 kg (N=3), 3.5 mm supracondylar plates were used. Right supracondylar plates of 2.7 mm were used in one dog while left supracondylar plates of 2.7 mm were used in two dogs. Similarly, right supracondylar plates of 3.5 mm were used in two dogs and left supracondylar plate of 3.5 mm in one dog. All the three right were 8 H while two left were 8 H and one was 6 holed. All the dogs showed partial weight bearing from 1st post-operative day. Lameness grading on pre-operatively showed grade V. Post-operatively, five dogs progressed to grade I lameness on 60th post-operative day and one dog to grade III lameness by the end of 60th post-operative day and later progressed to grade I by 120th post-operative day. The mean lameness pre-operatively and on 1st day, 15th day, 30th day, 60th day post- operatively were found to be 5.00±0.00, 4.00±0.00, 2.00±0.25, 1.66±0.33, 1.3±0.30 and 1.00±0.00 respectively. Radiographs obtained on the 60th post-operative day revealed dense callus of reduced size; fracture line barely visible with corticomedullary remodelling. The radiographs obtained on the 90th post-operative day clearly shows complete formation of bone with distinct cortex and medulla. Primary bone healing with minimal callus formation was recorded in case 5. Result: The supracondylar plate was successfully used in the treatment of distal femur fractures in dogs. Its configuration permitted early return to function of dogs affected with distal femur fractures.