Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Short-term results of external fixation for ankle instability in cats
By Gadallah, Shaaban et al.·Published in Scientific reports·2024·Department of Surgery·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Short-term outcome after treatment of talocrural instability in cats using modified type II transarticular external skeletal fixation.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with ankle joint instability were treated using a special external fixation device to stabilize the joint without needing to fuse it. After the treatment, 85% of the cats had good joint stability when the device was removed, although some experienced minor or major complications, and a few continued to show lameness. Initially, the cats had reduced movement in their joints, but most regained normal motion within four weeks. This method appears to be a promising option for managing ankle instability in cats.
People also search for: cat ankle joint instability treatment · cat lameness after surgery · external fixation for cat injuries
Abstract
Transarticular external skeletal fixation (TESF) is repeatedly used for temporary stabilisation of tarsal joint in cats. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the use of temporary modified type II TESF for management of talocrural instability (TCI) in cats without joint arthrodesis and to rate short-term outcomes and complications. Medical records of all cats treated for TCI between January 2012 and December 2021 were reviewed. Information was collected including signalment, degree of lameness, type of TCI, accompanying soft tissue and bone injuries, and post-operative follow-up assessment including time of frame removal, complications, degree of lameness, range of joint motion and ankylosis. Surgical management didn't involve debridement of the articular cartilage. Eighty-five percent of cats had satisfactory joint stability at the time of frame removal. Eighteen cats exhibited minor complications, six cats had major complications, and 8 cats showed persistent lameness. All cats showed reduction of joint motion range by 20°-30° directly after frame removal while returned to normal in 79% of cats 4 weeks later. Variable degrees of joint ankylosis were reported. In conclusion, this study supports the use of temporary modified type II TESF for management of TCI in cats without joint involvement as an excellent alternative to tarsal arthrodesis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38565922/