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Cross-pin stabilisation of a distal femoral physeal fracture in a miniature Rex rabbit

02 January 2023
12 mins read
Volume 28 · Issue 1
Figure 1. Mediolateral and craniocaudal views of the right (A) and left (B) femora of a 5-month-old miniature Rex rabbit demonstrating a severely displaced Salter-Harris type I fracture of the distal femur on the right, with moderate associated soft-tissue swelling. The left femur was within normal limits with the distal femoral and proximal tibial physes remaining open as expected for the rabbit's age.
Figure 1. Mediolateral and craniocaudal views of the right (A) and left (B) femora of a 5-month-old miniature Rex rabbit demonstrating a severely displaced Salter-Harris type I fracture of the distal femur on the right, with moderate associated soft-tissue swelling. The left femur was within normal limits with the distal femoral and proximal tibial physes remaining open as expected for the rabbit's age.

Abstract

This case report details the presentation, treatment and medium-term follow up for a distal femoral physeal fracture in a miniature Rex rabbit. A 5-month-old rabbit presented with right hindlimb lameness after attempting to escape and becoming entangled in a cage. On examination, instability affecting the distal right femur was noted, and radiographs revealed a Salter-Harris type I fracture. Open reduction and internal fixation was performed under general anaesthesia using four 0.7 mm cross pins. Satisfactory clinical and radiographic progress was noted 3 weeks postoperatively. At postoperative follow up 6 weeks later, lameness was mild and by 12 weeks the lameness had resolved. Radiographs taken 12 weeks postoperatively revealed that alignment, apposition and implant placement had been maintained and there was no evidence of implant-associated complications. Clinical union had been achieved. Remote follow up with the owners 7 months postoperatively revealed that the rabbit had returned to normal activity levels and experienced no adverse sequelae following the fracture's repair. The satisfactory medium-term outcomes seen after cross-pin placement indicate that this may be an appropriate repair method for distal femoral Salter-Harris type I fractures in rabbits. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first succesful cross-pin stabilisation of a Salter-Harris type I fracture in a rabbit of this age.

Long bone fractures in small animal patients such as rodents, rabbits and ferrets are frequently the result of traumatic events such as being trapped in wire cages and wheels or being stepped on or dropped by the owner (Miwa and Carrasco, 2019). Femoral fractures account for 30-40% of rabbit long-bone fractures (Sasai et al, 2018; Garcia-Pertierra et al, 2019). These fractures often occur in rabbits less than 2 years of age and are thought to result from the herbivores’ relatively thin and light cortical bone composition (Miwa and Carrasco, 2019).

In rabbits, common locations for femoral fractures include the condyle, distal and mid diaphysis (Garcia-Pertierra et al, 2019; Dorlis et al, 2022). Despite the distal femur being the most frequent site of physeal fracture in canine patients (Sukhiani and Holmberg, 1997), naturally occurring distal femoral physeal fractures in rabbits do not feature within currently published case series’. The only case report detailing naturally occurring femoral physeal fractures reports spontaneous capital physeal fractures in a Continental Giant rabbit (Knudsen and Langley-Hobbs, 2010).

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