Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Lateral epicondylar fissure fractures during screw surgery in dogs
By Piana, Francesco et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T·2026·Langford Veterinary Hospital, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Lateral Epicondylar Fissure Fractures after Transcondylar Screw Placement for the Treatment of Humeral Intracondylar Fissures and Humeral Condylar Fractures.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of seven dogs underwent surgery to fix fractures in their upper arm bones, but two of them developed additional fractures in the outer part of the elbow during the procedure. To address these complications, the veterinarians used extra support with a washer and a special wire or additional screws. While one dog had to be euthanized due to financial issues after the surgery, the other six dogs recovered well and returned to their normal activities within a couple of months.
People also search for: dog elbow fracture treatment · humeral fracture surgery recovery · complications from dog surgery
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report an intraoperative complication that has been noted during the surgical application of transcondylar screws (TCS). Although a recent study has shown medial epicondylar fissure fractures during medial to lateral TCS application in dogs treated for humeral intracondylar fissures (HIF), our study pertains to lateral epicondylar fissure fractures occurring during surgery for HIF, lateral condylar fractures and intracondylar Y fractures. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, multicentre case series, including seven client-owned dogs. Data collection included signalment, imaging findings, surgical method and implants used for the repair, postoperative complications and outcome at 6 to 8 weeks of follow-up. RESULTS: Two dogs were treated for bilateral HIF, one for unilateral HIF, two for lateral condylar fractures and two for intracondylar Y fractures. Intervention after diagnosing the intraoperative lateral fissure fracture included adding a washer and a transcondylar Kirschner wire or an adjunctive TCS. One dog was euthanatized due to financial constraints following implant failure 2 weeks after lateral condylar fracture repair. Six dogs had a good outcome with return to function. CONCLUSION: Humeral epicondylar fissure fractures can occur in the lateral epicondyle during TCS placement in dogs treated for HIF, lateral condylar fractures and intracondylar Y fractures.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40865560/