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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Closed reduction and blind cross-pinning for repair of a proximal tibial fracture in a foal.

Journal:
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Year:
1985
Authors:
Juzwiak, J S & Milton, J L
Species:
horse

Plain-English summary

A 4-day-old foal had a broken bone in its leg, specifically a fracture near the knee area of the tibia (the larger bone in the lower leg). The veterinarian fixed the fracture using a method called blind cross-pinning, which involves placing pins without directly seeing the fracture site. After 35 days, X-rays showed that the bone had healed completely. However, four months later, the foal was still a little lame, meaning it was not walking perfectly. This method of repair could be a good option for fixing certain types of leg fractures in young foals.

Abstract

A 4-day-old foal underwent repair of a proximal metaphyseal fracture of the tibia. After closed reduction, fixation was achieved by use of blind cross-pinning. Thirty-five days after surgery, radiography demonstrated complete healing. The foal was mildly lame 4 months after repair of the fracture. Blind cross-pinning may be considered as a method of repair for certain long bone fractures in small foals.

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Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4055493/