title: Management of traumatic tarsal luxations with transarticular external fixation in cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report our experience with the use of contoured mini circular transarticular external skeletal fixators for the management of traumatic tarsal luxations in 15 cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen cats with traumatic tarsal joint luxation treated by using mini circular transarticular external fixators with available clinical records and complete clinical and radiographic follow-up of at least 30 weeks duration were included in the study. Data collected were the signalment, history, type of injury, concomitant injury, frame configuration, stabilization technique, duration of the surgery, time to first use of the operated limb, fixator removal time, complications, final outcome and follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The surgical procedure chosen was based on the type of luxation; partial tarsal arthrodesis was performed in 10 cases, tarso-crural stabilization in four cases, and pantarsal arthrodesis in three cases. Five cats started to use the operated limb immediately after recovering from anaesthesia. In the other 10 cats, time to first use ranged from one to four days (mean 2 days). In one case, early pin loosening due to half pin fixation bolt failure was observed as a postoperative complication. Fixator removal time ranged from 24 to 60 days (mean 45 days). Functional outcome was excellent in 15 cats and good in two.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is a preliminary report about the treatment of tarsal luxations with a mini circular transarticular external fixation system in which early postoperative and long-term results seem to be favourable.
authors.affiliation: Cenk Yardımcı, DVM, PhD, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, 55139, Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey, E-mail: cyardimci@omu.edu.tr or cenkyardimci@yahoo.com, Fax: +90 362 4576922.
authors.forename: Cenk
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yardımcı
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Özak
authors.forename: Taylan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Önyay
authors.forename: Kamil Serdar
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: İnal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D016267:External Fixators / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000662:veterinary*; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013640:Tarsal Joints / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Cat; arthrodesis; external fixation; tarsal luxation