LATERAL TIBIAL HEAD BUTTRESS PLATE - USE IN A PATHOLOGICAL FEMORAL FRACTURE SECONDARY TO A BONE-CYST IN A DOG

A ten-month-old neutered Siberian Husky dog sustained a long oblique d iaphyseal right femoral fracture which extended into and was secondary to a large metaphyseal bone cyst. The cyst was curetted and bone graf ted. To attain adequate fracture and cyst stabilization, an AO/ASIF le ft tibial head buttress plate was used. Due to the unique configuratio n and curvature of the plate, three of 11 screws were placed in unaffe cted epiphyseal bone. This contributed to good frictional apposition o f the plate to the bone with resultant excellent fracture stability. T wenty-six weeks after the operation the fracture and cyst had healed a nd the dog had full function of the limb. The lateral tibial head butt ress plate should be considered for use in supracondylar femoral fract ures, in large dogs, because of ease of application, good conformity t o the distal curvature of the femur, plate stiffness and the resultant stability.