Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with delayed femur fracture fixed using 3D printed guide
By Scortea, Radu et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2025·Department of Surgery, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Case Report: The use of a 3D printed alignment guide system for correction of a delayed union/nonunion/malunion femoral fracture in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old neutered male mixed-breed dog was brought in for ongoing limping in his right back leg. X-rays showed that his femur had not healed properly after a fracture, leading to a misalignment and shortening of the limb. To fix this, the vet used a special 3D-printed guide to help place a plate and screws accurately, which stabilized the bone and corrected the alignment. After the surgery, the dog was able to heal properly and regain normal function in his leg.
People also search for: dog limping after fracture · mixed-breed dog femur surgery · 3D printed guide for dog bone healing
Abstract
A two-year-old neutered male mixed-breed dog was presented with a history of chronic lameness of the right pelvic limb. Physical examination and diagnostic imaging report revealed a delayed union with suspected progression toward nonunion/malunion of the femur. Further assessment showed the presence of a multiplanar deformity with a distal femoral valgus, a caudomedial translation of 26 mm, a femoral torsion angle of 35° compared to 21° to the left, and an excessive limb shortening of 34% in the frontal plane/ 31% in the sagittal plane. A 3D-printed alignment guide (3DPAG) was designed, printed, and successfully used to reduce the delayed union/nonunion fracture. The pre-contoured LCP plate, secured with seven screws, provided stable fracture fixation. The 3DPAG contributed significantly to achieving accurate alignment and implant placement.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40687085/