Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgery fixed left front leg deformity in 1-month-old alpaca
By Parry, A J & Dart, A J·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2007·University Veterinary Centre Camden, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Surgical correction of metacarpophalangeal valgus deformity in an alpaca.
Plain-English summary
A 1-month-old alpaca cria was brought in with a noticeable bend in its left front leg, specifically a 13-degree deformity at the joint. The veterinarian recommended a surgical procedure called transphyseal bridging to correct the issue. This involved placing screws and wire to stabilize the joint. Seven weeks after the surgery, the leg was straightened, and the hardware was successfully removed. This treatment effectively corrected the limb deformity in the young alpaca.
People also search for: alpaca leg deformity treatment · surgery for alpaca joint problems · metacarpophalangeal joint correction in crias
Abstract
A 1-month-old alpaca cria presented with a 13 degree valgus deformity of the left metacarpophalangeal joint. The angular limb deformity was centered on the distal metacarpal physes. Transphyseal bridging of the physes was recommended. Two 2.7 mm cortical bone screws were placed either side of the distal metacarpal physes and a figure of eight wire was placed medially around the screw heads. The screws extended through the medial metacarpus into the axial cortex of the lateral metacarpus. Seven weeks after surgery the limb was straight and the screws and wire were removed. Transphyseal bridging of the distal metacarpal physes can be effectively used for the treatment of metacarpophalangeal valgus in crias with open physes.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17760941/