Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Screw loosening and pelvic narrowing after cat ilial fracture repair
By Hamilton, Michael H et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2009·The Queen's Veterinary School Hospital, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Feline ilial fractures: assessment of screw loosening and pelvic canal narrowing after lateral plating.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 21 cats with ilial fractures (a type of pelvic injury) underwent surgery using a lateral bone plate to fix the fractures. After the surgery, 62% of the cats experienced screw loosening, which can lead to complications. Additionally, all the cats showed some narrowing of the pelvic canal, with 28% experiencing severe narrowing that resulted in recurrent constipation within a year. This suggests that while the surgery can help with fractures, it may lead to significant issues like screw loosening and pelvic narrowing, which can affect the cat's bowel movements.
People also search for: cat pelvic fracture surgery · cat constipation after surgery · screw loosening in cats
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report the incidence of (1) screw loosening and (2) severity of pelvic canal narrowing in cats after repair of ilial fractures by a lateral bone plate. STUDY DESIGN: Case series. ANIMALS: Cats (n=21) with ilial fractures. METHODS: Medical records (June 1994 to February 2004) and radiographs were reviewed. Retrieved data were: signalment, fracture description, screw purchase, screw loosening, complications, and clinical outcome. Sacral index (SI) was used to objectively assess degree of pelvic canal narrowing. Long-term follow-up was by owner telephone interview or postal questionnaire. RESULTS: Screw loosening occurred in 13 cats (62%), with a mean loss of total screw purchase of 13% (range, 0-46%). Pelvic canal narrowing (mean decrease, 25%; range, 5-60%) occurred in all cats. Six cats (28%) had severe pelvic canal narrowing (mean, 52%); 5 of these had signs of recurrent constipation within 12 months postoperatively. Mean loss of total screw purchase in cats with severe pelvic narrowing was 28% compared with 9% for all other cats with narrowing. CONCLUSIONS: Lateral plating of ilial fractures in cats is associated with a high incidence of screw loosening. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Pelvic canal narrowing >45% is associated with a high risk of recurrent constipation.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19573095/