title: Treatment of isolated tibial fractures in cats and dogs.
abstract: We report here a review of 33 cases of isolated tibial fractures (i.e., with the fibula intact) in 10 cats and 23 dogs, presented to four orthopaedic referral clinics. The purpose of this study was to identify factors to be considered when selecting the therapy for an isolated tibial fracture in cats and dogs. The animal species, the size of the dog breed, the age of the patient, the type of tibial fracture, the presence of an additional fracture, the treating clinic, the therapy applied, and the results after treatment were taken into account. A step-backward logistic regression analysis was applied to the series of cases to examine possible relations among the covariates. Treatment outcome was found by logistic regression analysis to depend significantly (P < or = 0.05) on age, the presence of an additional fracture, and the therapy applied. No other relations were present between the covariates. In the immature cat or dog with an isolated tibial fracture, treatment by external splinting has a good prognosis. In the mature cat or dog with an isolated tibial fracture, rigid fixation by external fixator or internal fixation is the method of choice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Zaal
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Hazewinkel
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D016267:External Fixators / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D016268:Internal Fixators / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D016014:Linear Models; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome