Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
French bulldog elbow fracture surgery outcomes with two fixation
By Proteasa, A & Rutherford, S·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2026·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Impact of the epicondylar fixation method on complications and outcomes following unicondylar humeral fractures in French bulldogs: a retrospective study of 43 cases (2018-2023).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of French bulldogs with humeral condylar fractures (a type of elbow injury) underwent surgery using either a screw/plate or screw/pin method to fix the bone. After treatment, about 80% of the dogs showed acceptable function, and both surgical methods had similar rates of complications. Minor issues occurred in 10% of cases, while major complications were also noted, but overall, the long-term outcomes were mild. This suggests that both surgical options are effective for treating these fractures in French bulldogs.
People also search for: French bulldog elbow injury treatment · humeral fracture surgery recovery · screw plate vs screw pin for dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To compare the complications and outcomes of screw/plate and screw/pin fixation of humeral condylar fractures in French bulldogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective single-centre case series. Medical records (2018 to 2023) were reviewed for French bulldogs with humeral condylar fractures treated surgically. Bicondylar fractures were excluded. Data collected included signalment, fracture configuration, method and technique of fixation, outcome and postoperative complications. Long-term outcome was assessed via owner-assessed questionnaire. RESULTS: Forty-two dogs (43 fractures) met the inclusion criteria. Of the 43 fractures, 37 (86.0%) were lateral and six (14.0%) were medial. The screw/plate group comprised 15 fractures (34.9%) and the screw/pin group 28 fractures (65.1%). Perioperative follow-up was available for 40 fractures; there were four (10%) minor complications and four (10%) major I complications. In the screw/plate group, minor complications were reported in 3 of 14 (21.4%) and major in 1 of 14 (7.1%). In the screw/pin group, 1 of 26 (3.8%) dogs were associated with minor complications and 3 of 26 (11.5%) with major I complications. Function at perioperative follow-up was acceptable for 80% of dogs and the Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs score at long-term follow-up was mild. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study found no evidence to suggest that either plate or pin epicondylar fixation is superior in French bulldogs. This indicates that both methods can be considered viable options for treating unilateral humeral condylar fractures in French bulldogs, with similar outcomes.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41451803/