Letter to the Editor

90

Dear Sir, Using acrylic frames for external skeletal fixation is a very popular method of fracture repair (1). Revision of the frame requires removing a segment of the column where necessary. We suggest that destabilization or “dynamization” (2) of type two full-pin (3) acrylic-based external skeletal fixation configurations may also be achieved by removing a few millimetres of one of the acrylic columns between pins anchored in proximal and distal fractured bone fragments (▶ Figure 1). Various saws can

Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2014; 27: 90 doi:10.3415/VCOT-13-10-0127 Received: October 12, 2013 Accepted: November 9, 2013 Pre-published online: December 9, 2013 Correspondence to: Vyacheslav Hodik DVM MSc 17 Henrietta Szold Street Petach-Tikva, 49532 Israel Phone: + 972 50 796 8392 E-mail: [email protected]

be used to alter acrylic constructions; however, this equipment may be unsuitable for small and delicate ones, producing vibrations that are transmitted to pins and bone and may hasten pin loosening. We suggest using a conventional soldering iron (WellerR 60W 230V) to alter acrylic constructions. Instead of cutting, we simply melt away the acrylic column in the desired area (▶ Figure 2). Although this technique is especially convenient in small, delicate constructions, we used it successfully to divide acrylic columns of 25 millimetre width. The soldering iron produces heat that may be transmitted to pins and via pins to soft tissue and bones. For this reason, we never bring the soldering iron into direct contact with pins and have never seen any complications associated with thermal damage. Sincerely, Drs. Vyacheslav Hodik1 and Eyal Ranen2 1Private

Small Animal Veterinary Practice, Petach-Tikva, Israel; 2Koret Veterinary School, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

Figure 2 Division of the acrylic column by melting with soldering iron.

References

A B Figure 1 Destabilization of type II full pin acrylic based ESF configuration, used to repair a fracture of the radius and ulna in a toy poodle (four-months-old, body weight 1.1 kg), by melting away a segment of the lateral acrylic column with soldering iron. A) Immediately after destabilization and a B) craniocaudal radiograph taken two weeks after cutting the acrylic.

© Schattauer 2014

1. Piermattei DL, Flo GL, DeCamp CE. Chapter 2: Fractures: Classification, Diagnosis, and Treatment. In: Handbook of Small Animal Orthopedics and Fracture Repair. 4th Edition. St. Louis: Saunders Elsevier; 2006. pg. 95–99. 2. Egger EL, Histand MB, Norrdin RW, et al. Canine osteotomy healing when stabilized with decreasingly rigid fixation compared to constantly rigid fixation. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 1993; 64: 7–12. 3. Piermattei DL, Flo GL, DeCamp CE. Chapter 2: Fractures: Classification, Diagnosis, and Treatment. In: Handbook of Small Animal Orthopedics and Fracture Repair. 4th Edition. St. Louis: Saunders Elsevier; 2006. pg. 74–76.

Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 1/2014

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Revision and destabilization of acrylic-pin external skeletal fixation constructions using a conventional soldering iron

Revision and destabilization of acrylic-pin external skeletal fixation constructions using a conventional soldering iron.

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