title: Impact of fixation method on postoperative complication rates following surgical stabilization of diaphyseal tibial fractures in cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the complication rate between open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and external skeletal fixation (ESF) for feline diaphyseal tibial fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective study spanning a 10 year period, 57 feline tibial fractures stabilized via ESF or ORIF were included for analysis and complication rates were compared between the two methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the overall study population, 23 (40.4%) cases suffered complications (9 major, 20 minor, 6 with both major and minor). All of the major complications occurred in the ESF group. Complications were more common in cats with ESF (50.0%) while only one (7.7%) of the ORIF cases suffered complications (OR 12.0 [CI: 2.09; 228.10], p = 0.02). Use of postoperative antibiotic medications was identified as a confounder. After adjusting for confounding, stabilization using ESF remained associated with a higher risk of complications (OR = 13.71 [CI: 2.18; 274.25], p = 0.02). Cats with ESF had a longer duration of follow-up (15.6 weeks; 95% CI: 13.0; 18.3) compared to ORIF (9.5 weeks; 95% CI: 6.4; 12.7) (p = 0.003), and a higher number of revisits (mean 3.0; 95% CI: 2.4; 3.6) than the ORIF group (mean 1.6; 95% CI: 0.9; 2.3) (p = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates a significant difference in complication rates between the methods of stabilization, with ESF resulting in a significantly higher complication rate compared to ORIF. Based on these results, it may be prudent to select ORIF for stabilization of feline tibial fractures wherever practical.
authors: Miss Karen L. Perry, Michigan State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Veterinary Medical Center, 736 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States, E-mail: kperry@msu.edu.
authors: K L
authors: KL
authors: Perry
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bruce
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002415:Cats; D016267:External Fixators / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Tibial fracture; complication; external skeletal fixation; feline; open reduction internal fixation