Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with radial hemimelia treated with Ilizarov method
By Rahal, Sheila C et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2005·Department of Veterinary Surgery and Anesthesiology, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Use of the Ilizarov method of distraction osteogenesis for the treatment of radial hemimelia in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6-month-old female crossbred dog was brought in with a condition called radial hemimelia, which affected her foreleg. The veterinarians performed multiple surgeries, starting with a fixator to align her bones and later using a special technique called distraction osteogenesis to lengthen her ulna by 25 mm. Although the initial plan was to keep her wrist joint mobile, it ended up fusing naturally. After all the surgeries, the dog was able to use her leg much better, leading to an improved quality of life.
People also search for: dog radial hemimelia treatment · dog leg surgery recovery · distraction osteogenesis for dogs
Abstract
A 6-month-old female crossbred dog with unilateral radial hemimelia was treated with a circular external fixator. During the first surgery, the dog underwent transverse osteotomy through the distal ulnar physis and rotation of the distal ulnar fragment (epiphysis) together with the forepaw in a lateral direction to achieve contact with the end of the proximal ulnar segment (shaft of the ulna); a circular external fixator was then applied. After removal of the fixator, a cast was applied. The initial intent was to preserve mobility of the ulnocarpal joint; however, the joint fused naturally. A second surgery was performed to lengthen the ulna by use of distraction osteogenesis. An Ilizarov external fixator was used, and the ulna was lengthened 25 mm. During the third surgery, osteotomy of the distal portion of the ulna was performed to treat residual deviation of the forepaw. The surgical treatment resulted in satisfactory use of the limb and a better quality of life.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15646574/