Elastic stable intramedullary nailing using Titanium elastic nails for the management of tibial fractures in dogs

Abstract

The present study was conducted on six dogs, selected randomly irrespective of their age, sex and breed; diagnosed with tibial diaphyseal fracture. For the repair of fracture of tibia, Titanium elastic intramedullary nailing was performed in all the cases. Clinical, orthopaedic, radiographic and haemato- biochemical examinations were performed pre-operatively, just after the surgery, at 15th, 30th and 60th post-operative days. Gradual improvement in weight bearing on the operated limb was shown by all the cases starting from 4th to 7th post-operative day followed by complete weight bearing on 30th post-operative day in four cases and all the dogs had shown complete weight bearing without lameness while moving on 60th post-operative day. Satisfactory fracture alignment was shown in the post-operative radiograph at 15th, 30th and 60th days after the surgery. Slight migration of the nails at site of insertion in three cases were observed on clinical examination, which were easily managed by cutting the extra length of the nail outside the skin along with regular antiseptic dressing of the wound. The haemato-biochemical parameters were found within the normal clinical range at different time intervals of examination. On the basis of this study, it was found that the Titanium elastic stable intramedullary nailing has good efficacy for the repair of diaphyseal fracture of tibia without having any systemic adverse effects in dogs.