Compound fracture of different long bones in thirty cows was repaired by transfixation pinning using three different external reinforcement frames or casts. In group I, twenty cows were repaired with transfixation pinning connected externally to plaster cast and iron frame. Most of the cows treated for radio ulnar, meta tarsal and meta carpal open fractures improve while only three out of eleven cows treated for compound tibial fractures showed improvement. In group II, all the heifers treated with transfixation pinning reinforced with plaster cast- methyl metha acrylate external rod improved where as breakage of methyl metha acrylate rod was observed in adult cows. In group III, all the animals treated by transfixation pinning reinforced externally with polyvinyl chloride pipe showed improvement because of their lower body weight. Transfixation pinning with plaster cast- iron frame method can be employed to treat most of the long bone fractures as it permits wound management and comparatively early weight bearing. Polyvinyl chloride cast is a cheaper alternative to plaster cast in small sized ruminants. Compound tibial fractures continues to be a challenge in large animal practice.
Compound fractures, cows, transfixation
