A retrospective study between 1995 and 2004 of fracture repair in cats (n = 46) using interlocking nails (ILN) was made. Only the cases in which clinical and radiographic examination of bone healing were available are included. Five humeral and twenty eight femoral fractures were reviewed. Multiple-hole interlocking nails (MH-ILN) were used in 22 fractures, with the four-hole model (FH-ILN) in the remaining cases. In three of the cases, the FH-ILN was transformed to a three-hole model by cutting the nail between the two most distal holes. The average length of humeral ILN was 78.8 mm, and the femoral ILN was 97.2 mm. Static fixation was performed in 27 cases, with dynamic fixation in the remaining. The medullary canal filling was 100% in both radiographic views in 16 cases. Intra-operative complications were encountered in two cases. A total number of 76 screws were inserted, with 5.26% of them being malpositioned. Malunion, in a deformed femur, and partial unscrewing of one screw were the only radiographic complications observed at the time of follow-up. The clinical outcome, as well as fracture healing, were excellent in all of the cases. The results of this study indicate that the 4.0 and 5.0 mm MH-ILN and FH-ILN can be used to repair simple or comminuted humeral and femoral fractures in cats.

A 13-month-old female Andalusian was evaluated because of a congenital left deviation of the maxilla and nasal septum, which had resulted in a gross malocclusion of the maxillary incisor teeth. Surgical correction of a deviated nasal septum and premaxilla in a horse was first reported in 1978 and involved a pre-maxilla osteotomy and use of an autogenous rib graft, with a nasal septum osteotomy performed in a second surgery; to the authors' knowledge, no alternative surgical treatments have since been described. In this horse, a new surgical treatment by distraction osteogenesis without nasal septum osteotomy was attempted. After the procedure, the premaxilla and nasal septum deviations were corrected; however, an overjet lesion (rostral projection of maxillary arcade over the mandibular arcade) was evident, for which the owners declined treatment. Compared with previously recommended procedures, distraction osteogenesis appears to be a less invasive treatment for congenital facial deformities and may be considered an option in the treatment of congenital deviation of the nasal septum and premaxilla (wry nose), head scoliosis, brachygnathism, and prognathism in horses.

Fifty-two carpal panarthrodeses (CP) were carried out in 44 dogs (eight bilateral), in a multicentre study using a single (n = 47) or double (n = 5) stepped hybrid CP plate. Of these 44 cases, 39 were between 20-55 kg in bodyweight , 26 were males , and the carpometacarpal was the most common joint involved. Falling and other impact trauma were the most common aetiology. Pain of unknown origin, carpal luxation, chronic accessory carpal bone fracture, distal comminuted intra-articular radial fracture, bone tumour, degenerative joint disease, canine erosive idiopathic polyarthritis, avascular necrosis of the radial carpal bone and fractures of several metacarpal bones were some of the pathologies reported. Fracture of the third metacarpal bone during screw insertion was the only intrasurgical complication. Malpositioning of the plate or screws and over-tightened screws were technical errors observed in seven of the procedures. The radial carpal bone was not fixed with a screw in two cases due to bone deformity. Concurrent plate breakage and bending in the same patient operated on bilaterally was observed during the follow-up period, which represented a major complication rate of 3.8% for all procedures. Minor complications were: low grade infection, lick granuloma, digit hyperextension, screw loosening or failure, incomplete fusion of some joints and a fracture of the third metacarpal bone at the distal screw hole of the plate; which represented a rate of 44.2% on all procedures. Complete carpal healing was observed radiographically in 94.2% of all procedures. Limb function was excellent to good, and all of the owners, except for one, were satisfied with the procedure.

SummaryThe purpose of this paper is to describe two uncommon radiographic findings related to the use of interlocking nails (ILNs) fixation. The first one is a radiolucency located around the distal tip of the nail observed in three clinical cases. This radiographic sign was similar to one described in human medicine known as “windshield-wiper effect” and observed around the tip of the screw used for slipped capital femoral epiphysis in children, and also in association with intramedullary nail treatment. In one of our clinical cases, the radiolucency observed four weeks post-surgery completely disappeared two months later, unfortunately a follow-up radiograph was not available in the two other cases. The second complication is related to three screw-bendings observed in the centre of the nail in two clinical cases. In one case both proximal screws appeared to be radiographically bent, and non-union of the fracture was observed five months after surgery. The screws were in fact broken, instead of being bent, which we were able to determine in the second surgery. In the other clinical case, the screw appeared to be radiographically bent, but the fracture had healed. We could not confirm whether the screw was bent or broken because the owner refused to permit removal of the implant. When bone healing complications are detected, bent screws should be checked and suspected of being broken.