title: Treatment of inherently unstable open or infected fractures by open wound management and external skeletal fixation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the use of external skeletal fixation with open wound management for the treatment of inherently unstable open or infected fractures in dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of 10 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fracture stabilisation and wound management required only a single anaesthetic, and despite the challenging nature of these injuries, the final outcome was acceptable or good in every case. However, minor complications associated with the fixator pins were quite common, and two dogs developed complications which required additional surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Open management of wounds, even when bone was exposed, proved to be an effective technique, and external skeletal fixators were usually effective at maintaining stability throughout an inevitably extended fracture healing period.
authors.affiliation: Croft Veterinary Hospital, 37-39 Croft Road, Blyth, Northumberland NE24 2EL.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ness
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D016267:External Fixators / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology