title: The intraosseous blood supply of the canine radius: implications for healing of distal fractures in small dogs.
abstract: The intraosseous vascular anatomy of the radius was studied in 12 pairs of canine cadaver limbs. Six pairs of specimens were obtained from small-breed dogs (less than 6 kg) and six pairs were obtained from large-breed dogs (18 to 30 kg). All specimens were studied after arterial injection with India ink. Samples were fixed, frozen, then sectioned and processed using a modified Spalteholz technique. In all specimens, the intraosseous blood supply arose from the nutrient artery with its associated branches and the metaphyseal arteries. In small-breed dogs, there was decreased vascular density at the distal diaphyseal-metaphyseal junction compared with large-breed dogs. The reduced vascularity corresponded to the region associated with a poor prognosis for fracture healing in small-breed dogs. This regional association suggests that a decreased vascular supply in the distal radius may contribute to a higher frequency of delayed union and nonunion in smaller dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Boudrieau
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: DeJardin
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Spodnick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000502:physiology; D004285:Dogs / Q000293:injuries* / Q000502:physiology; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011884:Radius / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow