Management of compound fracture of radius-ulna and tibia-fibula using Ilizarov's ring fixator in dogs

The study was conducted on six clinical cases of compound fracture in dogs of either sex, weighing 10 to 20 kg. The fracture was reduced and stabilized by transfixation using Ilizarov's ring fixator. The Ilizarov's ring fixator was designed with two full and one 5/8 aluminium rings of 90 mm and 100 mm diameter for radius and tibia respectively, six Kirschner-wires (K-wires) of 1.6 mm diameter each and six connecting rods each of 100 mm length were found suitable. The parameters studied during the postoperative period were weight bearing on the operated limb, pain, apparatus stability, K- wire site discharge, K-wire loosening, K-wire breakage/bending, osteolysis, periosteal reaction, callus formation, haematology and serum biochemistry. Transfixation using Ilizarov's technique provided anatomic reduction, axial stiffness of the fractured fragments, joint mobility, functional weight bearing and prevented muscle atrophy.