Fixing with intramedullary nails in femor fracture in ant eater, Myrmecophaga Tridactyla- Linnaeus, 1758. Case report

Abstract

RESUMO: Um tamanduá bandeira macho de 30 kg foi levado para o Centro de Conservação da Fauna Silvestre (CCFS), onde foi diagnosticado com uma fratura simples oblíqua na diáfise do fêmur, e uma fratura de rádio e ulna, ambos no lado direito. O animal foi submetido a 2 procedimentos cirúrgicos para fixação do fêmur. Após primeira fixação, a fratura foi reduzida com um bom alinhamento do osso e movimentos de rotação eram completamente ausentes, porém dois dias após a cirurgia foi feito um raio-X, o qual revelou que o pino intramedular tinha dobrado, causando um alinhamento inaceitável do osso. Realizou-se uma segunda cirurgia, na qual foi retirado o pino dobrado e colocou-se outro, mas sete dias após, a ferida apresentou sinais de infecção e para facilitar a inspeção, o animal foi anestesiado e o pino intramedular revelou ter dobrado novamente.Considerando esses sinais, a perda de peso progressiva do animal e a seu comportamento agressivo que tornava o tratamento intensivo impossível sem sedação diária, e a partir disso, a opção de eutanasiar o animal foi a melhor escolha, para evitar mais sofrimento. A avaliação pós mortem confirmou a infecção de sítio cirúrgico, apesar de antibioticoterapia local e sistêmica. Palavras-chave: animal silvestre, imobilização interna, tratamentoABSTRACT: An ant eater male 30 kg was found on a highway at Ilha Solteira-SP, and were taken to Wild Conservation Center (WCC), where he was diagnosed with a simple oblique fracture in the diaphisi's femur, and a fracture in radio-ulna, both on the right side. The animal was subjected to surgical procedures for fixation of the femur. After the first fixation, the fracture was reduced with good alignment of the bone and rotation movements were completely absent. Two days after surgery was done X-rays, that showed that the intramedullary pin was moved, causing an unacceptable

An Anatomical Study of the Thoracic Limb of the Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga Tridactyla) Compared With the Domestic Dog to Guide Surgical Approaches to the Humerus and Radius

“…Other methods of fixation of fractures in large or robust patients have been reported, such as two conventional plates in a fracture of the radius and ulna in a captive polar bear, 9 which proved not to be an effective method for these heavy animals, with breakage of the ulnar plate and displacement of the radius plate reported. The use of an intramedullary pin in a giant anteater's femoral fracture 2 was also not a sufficiently stable method, resulting in implant failure. The double-plating technique for complex fractures in anteaters, was successful in stabilization and rapid bone healing, which suggests that fractures in this species require rigid anatomical construction.…”

“…For this reason, most fractures in free-ranging animals are treated based on surgical techniques used in domesticated small animal species or human patients. 2,4 Although there are some anatomical studies of the giant anteater, 8,13 surgical approaches to the bones are lacking. Such a paucity of information presents significant clinical challenges for the veterinarian working with the giant anteater when determining surgical approaches for fracture repair.…”

“…For this reason, most fractures in free-ranging animals are treated based on surgical techniques used in domesticated small animal species or human patients. 2,4…”