The use of circular and hybrid external skeletal fixation systems to repair open tibial fractures in large ruminants: a report of six clinical cases

A prospective clinical study consisting of six bovines (200–300 kg body weight) undergoing open tibial fractures was carried out, to evaluate the use of circular and hybrid external skeletal fixation (ESF) systems for open tibial fracture repair in large ruminants. The ESF systems consisting of 4 full rings (n = 2), 8 half-rings (n = 1), 2 full rings with 2 sidebars (n = 2) or 2 full rings with 4 sidebars (n = 1) were used to treat open tibial fractures. The healing progress of the animals was evaluated based on different clinical and radiographic examinations. The level of fracture reduction, alignment, and fixation ranged between satisfactory to adequate in all the animals. The fixators were well tolerated and maintained by the animals till the complete repair of the fracture. Adequate fracture healing with satisfactory functional recovery was observed in all the animals in about 3–4 months. The different designs of ESFs were found to provide adequate stability in open tibial fractures in animals weighing 200–300 kg. However, the fixators need to be evaluated in numerous clinical cases to establish their suitability in routine clinical settings.