A Retrospective Study of Transarticular Pinning for Traumatic Coxofemoral Luxation in 78 Cases in Dogs and Cats

Abstract

A transarticular pinning technique was used in a total of 78 cases in dogs and cats for open reduction of traumatic coxofemoral luxation in the 16 years from 1990 to 2005. We developed an improved type of guiding tool, which we called a G-point guide, to insert a pin into the femoral head during a surgical operation, and the device was useful in making the troublesome manipulation easier. From the results, the following formula was derived for clinical use: C = 0.16A + 1 (C: the diameter of the pin, A: the width of the neck of the femoral head). The optimum length (L) of the tip of the pin that protrudes into the pelvic cavity was also calculated: L = D + 3 for cats, and L = D + 5 for mediumsized dogs (D: depth of the coxofemoral pit). The unit of length here is mm. Four cases out of the 78 were complicated by either reluxation, constipation, or dogleg curvature of the pin, but completely favorable results were obtained in the other 74 cases (94.9%).