Management of Tibial Fracture using Internal and External Fixation – A Report of Three bovines

A pilot trial was carried out in one cadaver tibia for immobilization by intramedullary pinning and locally fabricated Jalaram Assembly to get hands on practice and also to be familiar with the procedure. Two young calves and an adult cow with tibial fractures were fasted and sedated for surgery. After achieving the desired anesthesia selected sized intramedullary pins was fixed in all three cases with additional circlage wire in an adult cow. Then Jalaram Assembly was applied as external fixation.

Clinical observation showed mild to moderate swelling at all the insertion sites up to 5^th to 7^th post-operative days. The observation for weight bearing revealed that partial weight bearing on immediate post-operative and early full weight bearing that might be due to rigid fixation. Such rigid fixation with Jalaram Assembly and intramedullary pinning showing less callus formation and early ambulation at 15 to 45 days in young calves and 45 to 60 days in an adult cow. Earlier restoration of normal limb function and joint mobility were observed in all three animals whose tibia fractures were stabilized with intramedullary pinning and Jalaram Assembly.