Management protocol for early postoperative avian wing fractures.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To show and describe appropriate methods for early postoperative management of avian fracture repairs. ANIMALS: Avian species. METHODS: Traumatic wing fractures are common in wild birds. Orthopedic surgery using an external fixator is a commonly used method to repair these fractures. Wild avian patients need to heal with minimal fibrosis of soft tissue structures, such as tendons and muscle, and with normal joint range of motion in order to have appropriate functional use of wings to reach peak performance for release. Traditional small animal sports medicine and rehabilitation modalities can be utilized in avian patients in order to reach this goal. RESULTS: Appropriate use of wound care, cryotherapy, passive range of motion, and photobiomodulation can be used in the early postoperative recovery period for birds in order to achieve acceptable functional recovery after surgical repair of wing fractures. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The early postoperative period is a critical time to establish appropriate tissue healing free of complications such as reduced joint range of motion, development of tissue adhesions, or loss of muscle length or elasticity. In this video, we cover appropriate tissue and surgical site care, wing bandaging, cryotherapy, passive range of motion, and photobiomodulation for the early postoperative period following external fixation placement in avian patients in order to maximize recovery, minimize tissue healing complications, and improve clinical outcomes in these cases.