ABSTRACT
Objective:
To
document long-term
client-reported clinical outcomes and
complications for the Humeral Intracondylar Repair System (HIRS) for
treatment of humeral intracondylar fissures (HIF) and humeral condylar fractures (HCF) in
dogs.
Method:
Data collection involved the
review of clinical
records and
analysis of an owner
questionnaire regarding complication occurrence and
client-reported outcome. The "Liverpool
Osteoarthritis in
Dogs" (LOAD) instrument was incorporated into the
questionnaire.
Results:
Twenty-six cases of HIF and 14 cases of HCF were included in the study, with follow-up times of over 12 months (range 13-97 months). Thirty-seven out of 40 cases reached long-term follow up 25 out of 26 HIF cases, 11 out of 11 lateral condylar fracture cases and one out of three dicondylar fracture cases. Two cases of HIF suffered a gradual return of lameness in the long term; both
dogs had concomitant medial coronoid
disease. No other
complications were reported in the long term. Excluding cases with concurrent issues affecting
exercise, the median LOAD score at follow-up was 4 and 5 (out of 52) for HIF and HCF cases, respectively. At long-term follow-up, 36 out of 37 cases were reported to have regained "full function of the
limb." Clinical
significance:
The results of this study, together with previously reported short and medium-term outcomes, support the use of HIRS for management of humeral intracondylar fissures and humeral condylar fractures.
