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Fixation of Cancellous Bone and Physeal Fractures in Dogs and Cats. A Comparison of the Use of Self-reinforced Biodegradable Devices to the Use of Metallic Devices and External Fixations

Fixation av spongiösa ben och fyseala frakturer hos hund och katt. En jämförelse av resorberbara implantats användning gentemot användning av metallimplantat och external fixation

Abstract

The use of self-reinforced biodegradable devices made of polyglycolide in the cancellous bone and physeal fractures of dogs and cats was compared to the use of metallic devices and external fixations on similar fractures. The series consisted of 64 dogs and 22 cats divided into 6 comparable groups. The patients in the 2 groups fixed with biodegradable devices started to use their operated limbs earlier than in the other groups. The same 2 groups also healed clinically (showed no lameness) earlier than the other groups. Radiographically there was no statistical difference between the 6 groups.

On the basis of this study it may be concluded that the fixation with self-reinforced biodegradable devices is as suitable for the fixation of cancellous bone and physeal fractures of dogs and cats as the fixation with metallic devices or external fixation. This biodegradable technique has additional benefits allowing the patients to feel less pain in their operated limbs and making secondary operations to remove the devices unnecessary.

Sammanfattning

Användningen av resorberbara implantat gjorda av polyglykolsyra jämfördes med användningen av implantat gjorda av metall samt användningen av external fixation på likvärdiga spongiösa ben och fyseala frakturer hos hund och katt. De primära statistiska värderingarna gjordes med Chi-square test (p < 0.01 ansågs relevanta) och avvikande resultat bestyrktes med tester av Wilcoxon och Fisher. Serierna bestod af 64 hundar och 22 katter indelade i 6 jämförbara grupper.

Patienterna i de 2 grupperna som berörde ftxationer med resorberbara resultat använde sina opererade ben tidigare än patienterna i de övriga grupperna. Patienterna i de 2 först nämnda grup-perna var även tidigare ohalta än de övriga. Ra-diografiskt kunde ingen statistisk skillnad påvisas mellan de 6 grupperna.

Resultatet av denna studie var att fixationer av spongiösa ben och fyseala frakturer hos hund och katt med rcsorberbara implantat ar lika användbara som fixationer med metallimplantat och externala fixationer. De största fördelarna med de rcsorberbara implantaten är att patienterna känner mindre smärta i det opererade benet och att fixations-implantäten icke behöver avlägsnas i ett extra kirurgiskt ingrepp, som skulle betyda ytterligare risker och smärta för patienten och extra kostnader for dess ägare.

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Acknowledgement

Sincere thanks are extended to Professor Nils-Erik Ahlberg, Department of Clinical Radiology of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden for his valuable suggestions and discussions and for supplying the cases fixed with metallic devices and external fixation. The author also wishes to express his gratitude to Docent Matti Kataja for his invaluable help with the statistical evaluation in this study.

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Axelson, P.B. Fixation of Cancellous Bone and Physeal Fractures in Dogs and Cats. A Comparison of the Use of Self-reinforced Biodegradable Devices to the Use of Metallic Devices and External Fixations. Acta Vet Scand 30, 259–265 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548030

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