Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Long-term results of surgery for dog elbow bone fissure using drill
By McCarthy, Jessica et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2020·Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Long-term outcome following management of canine humeral intracondylar fissure using a medial approach and a cannulated drill system.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Thirteen dogs with a specific elbow problem called humeral intracondylar fissure underwent surgery using a special drill system to place a screw for stabilization. While there were some minor and major complications after surgery, none of the screws caused further damage to the joint. The dogs had varying recovery times, with some needing pain relief even years later. Overall, the dogs showed improvement in their condition over a follow-up period of nearly six years, but ongoing pain management was still necessary for many.
People also search for: dog elbow surgery recovery · canine humeral intracondylar fissure treatment · dog pain management after surgery
Abstract
This study evaluated the feasibility, complications and long-term outcomes of using a cannulated drill system combined with intraoperative imaging to place a transcondylar screw for the management of canine humeral intracondylar fissure. Thirteen dogs were enrolled, with one dog undergoing staged bilateral surgery. No intraoperative complications occurred. Five minor (36%) and three major (21%) postoperative complications occurred, giving an overall complication rate of 57%. None of the screws placed penetrated the articular surface. The mean duration of surgery was 28 min (SD ±3.5) for dogs that developed a major complication versus 46 min (SD ±18.1) for those that did not (p=0.015). The duration of preoperative lameness was significantly shorter for cases which suffered a major complication (2 days; SD ±2.8) than those that did not (34 days; SD ±31.7, p=0.008). None of the variables assessed were significantly associated with minor complications. Median time from surgery to last follow-up was 5.8 years (range 3.5-8.5 years). Median Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs questionnaire score at the final point of follow-up was 16 (range 7-27). A significant number of patients were found to require analgesia at long-term follow-up.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31413118/