Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Use of a locking compression plate as an external fixator for repair of a tarsometatarsal fracture in a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).
- Journal:
- Journal of avian medicine and surgery
- Year:
- 2011
- Authors:
- Montgomery, Ronald D et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Sciences · United States
- Species:
- bird
Abstract
We describe the successful treatment of a tarsometatarsal fracture in a mature bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) using a locking compression plate as an external fixator. The anatomy of the area (inelastic dermis and minimal subcutaneous space) and the high forces placed on a fracture at that site necessitated a unique approach to fixation. The unconventional use of a locking compression plate as an external fixator was minimally invasive, well tolerated by the eagle, and provided adequate stability in opposing fracture forces. This technique may serve as a method of fixation for tarsometatarsal fractures in other large avian species.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21877449/