title: Augmentation of diaphyseal fractures of the radius and ulna in toy breed dogs using a free autogenous omental graft and bone plating.
abstract: Evaluation of the short-term outcome, duration of bone healing, and complications following bone plate fixation in dogs weighing ≤6 kg, with and without the use of a free autogenous greater omental graft (OG).
  
  
  
  A retrospective clinical study reviewed the medical records of 25 dogs of body weight <6 kg with mid to distal diaphyseal fractures of the radius and ulna (29 fractures) treated with open reduction bone plate fixation. Thirteen out of 29 fractures were implanted with an additional 2-3 cm³ OG lateral, cranial, and medial to the fracture site, adjacent to the bone plate.
  
  
  
  Median time to radiographic healing in OG fractures (n = 11) was 70 days (range 28-98) compared to 106 days (range: 56-144) in non-OG grafted fractures (n = 14). The OG dogs had no major complications; minor complications included oedema, erythema, and mild osteopenia. Six of the eight non-OG dogs for which follow-up could be obtained developed osteopenia necessitating implant removal, four of which re-fractured the radius one to five months after implant removal, with one dog re-fracturing the limb a second time and resulting in amputation. Telephone follow-up of owners of OG dogs (n = 11) three to 15 months (median 10) post-surgery did not identify any signs of lameness or other complications. Owners of the non-OG dogs (n = 8) reported that there were not any signs of lameness six to 48 months (median 36) post-surgery.
  
  
  
  Free autogenous omental grafting of diaphyseal fractures of the radius and ulna was associated with radial and ulnar healing with minimal complications in dogs weighing less than 6 kg.
authors.affiliation: Wendy Baltzer, DVM, PhD, DACVS-SA, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Oregon State University, 105 Magruder Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States, Phone: +1 541 737 4812, E-mail: wendy.baltzer@oregonstate.edu.
authors.forename: W I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Baltzer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cooley
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Warnock
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nemanic
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Stieger-Vanegas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D001860:Bone Plates / Q000662:veterinary*; D018483:Diaphyses / Q000293:injuries; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D005552:Forelimb / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000662:veterinary*; D009852:Omentum; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014458:Ulna Fractures / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Toy breed dog; bone-plating; free omentum autograft; osteopenia; radius ulna fracture