Comparison of methods for femoral fracture repair in young calves.
The right femurs of 12 Holstein calves were fractured and repaired with intramedullary pins, half-pin assemblies, or bone plates and screws. Nine calves survived the 6-week experiment. One calf with each type of internal fixation was equipped with either a modified Thomas splint, an Ehmer sling, or had no external fixation. At necropsy, 42 days after surgery, the femurs with intramedullary pins were healing with slight malalignment and overriding. The femurs with half-pin assemblies were considered nonunions, with severe overriding, malalignment, and osteomyelitis; the femurs with bone plates and screws were healing, although the screws had loosened and allowed overriding with rotational malalignment of the fractures. The calves equipped with the Thomas splints and those with no external fixation were able to stand and to walk earlier and with less difficulty than the calves with the limb placed in an Ehmer sling.
D000818:Animals; D001858:Bone Nails / Q000662:veterinary; D001860:Bone Plates / Q000662:veterinary; D001863:Bone Screws / Q000662:veterinary; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000662:veterinary*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000662:veterinary; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000662:veterinary; D013165:Splints / Q000662:veterinary