Thirteen feline humeral fractures were stabilized using external skeletal fixation alone or in combination with supplementary devices. Eleven of the 13 fractures healed. Pins placed in the distal humerus should be angled to avoid the supracondylar foramen and radial nerve. An intramedullary pin in combination with external skeletal fixation is indicated for mildly comminuted reconstructable fractures. For severely comminuted humeral fractures, closed application of an external skeletal fixator may be preferable to open reduction and internal fixation to provide healing and is recommended as an alternative to amputation.

This paper reports the results of fixation of 35 femoral fractures in cats using an external skeletal fixator alone or in combination with supplementary devices. All the fractures healed. The average time to fixator removal was eight weeks and two days. The external skeletal fixator offers a method of repairing many types of femoral fractures in cats allowing sound orthopaedic principles to be maintained and producing a successful outcome.

SummaryA total of 27 dogs underwent surgery for thoracolumbar intervertebral disc prolapse. A partial pediculectomy was performed in 19 cases. In the majority of these cases the most likely position of the extruded disc material was known from clinical signs and myelography. Eight cases had partial pediculectomy performed as a first stage procedure but ended as a minihemilaminectomy of which in five the position of the extruded disc was known and in three only the disc affected was known. Disc material could be retrieved from the ventral aspect of the spinal cord through a small bony incision in the lateral pedicle without disturbing the area of the vertebral foramen. The advantages of not disturbing the vertebral foramen are avoidance of the branches of spinal artery and the nerve and vessels exiting the foramen making the surgery easier and quicker due to less bleeding.A partial pediculectomy, or modified minihemilaminecto-my was performed on 27 dogs. The location of the disc material in the vertebral canal was ascertained using lumbar myelography and clinical information. If the disc material was lying mainly over the vertebral body the vertebral foramen with its associated blood vessels was not disturbed during surgery, and the disc material was retrieved via a bony incision in the lateral pedicle via a lateral approach.

Ventral decompression using the modified slanted slot instead of the standard ventral slot will allow for spinal decompression with potentially less destabilisation, and incur a similar incidence of complications and rate of recovery.

From the results achieved in these three cases it can be concluded that a latency period prior to distraction osteogenesis may not be necessary. Also, distraction rates up to 3 mm per day can be used to shorten the time needed to achieve lengthening; however further studies are needed to investigate the high level of complications.