title: Pedicle digital pad transfer and negative pressure wound therapy for reconstruction of the weight-bearing surface after complete digital loss in a dog.
abstract: A young Labrador Retriever was presented for treatment of severe distal hindlimb necrosis caused by bandage ischemia. During digit amputation at the metatarsophalangeal joints, the third and fourth digital pads were salvaged and transferred to the metatarsal stump to create a weight-bearing surface. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) was utilized for flap immobilization and to promote granulation tissue in the remaining wound defect. Sturdy adherence of the digital pads was achieved after only four days. The skin defect healed completely by second intention and the stump was epithelialized with a thin pad after three months. At the nine month follow-up examination, the stump had a thick hyperkeratinized pad. The dog walked and ran without any apparent signs of discomfort and compensated for the loss of limb length by extending the stifle and tarsocrural joints. Despite a challenging wound in a difficult anatomical location, digital pad flap transfer and NPWT proved successful in restoring long-term ambulation in an active large breed dog.
authors.affiliation: Matan Or, DVM, Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke, B-9820, Belgium, Phone: +329 264 77 00, Fax: +329 264 77 91, E-mail: matanor5@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Or
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Van Goethem
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Polis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spillebeen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vandekerckhove
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de Rooster
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D016474:Weight-Bearing; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Digit amputation; NPWT; digital pad transfer; negative pressure wound therapy; wound healing