Vol. 14, Issue 11 (2025)

Author(s):
Lekshmi P, Raghunath M, Suresh Kumar RV, Sailaja N and Bharathi S

Abstract:
A 9 month old mongrel dog was presented with a complete, comminuted, angularly displaced, and overriding distal third diaphyseal femoral fracture. The fracture included multiple, displaced, irreducible wedge fragments and a critical-sized bone defect. Stabilization was achieved using static intramedullary interlocking nailing with a 6 mm diameter, 12 cm long nail, using 2.7 mm cortical screws. The dog was evaluated through clinical, radiological, and haemato-biochemical parameters on the 15th, 30th, and 60th postoperative days to assess fracture healing, limb usage, and overall clinical outcome. Postoperatively, wound healing was uneventful, and complete weight-bearing on the operated limb without any signs of lameness was achieved by the third week, with a complete return to normal limb function. By the 30th post operative day, radiographic evaluation revealed fracture healing characterized by bridging callus formation with continuity of the cortex and medullary canal. Preoperative hematological evaluation showed decreased hemoglobin, erythrocyte count, and PCV, with an elevated leukocyte count, and these parameters returned to normal by the 60th post-operative day. Biochemical analysis showed elevated creatine kinase and C-reactive protein levels preoperatively, along with increased alkaline phosphatase on the 15th post-operative day; all values normalized by day 60. In conclusion, grade IV diaphyseal femoral fracture with a critical-sized bone defect was successfully treated using static intramedullary interlocking nailing.