CASE REPORT article
Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Veterinary Surgery
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1562071
Case report: The use of a 3D printed alignment guide system for correction of a delayed union/nonunion/malunion femoral fracture in a dog
Provisionally accepted
- 1Tierklinik Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40470, Germany, Düsseldorf, Germany
- 2University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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A two-year-old neutered male mixed-breed dog was presented with a history of chronic lameness of the right pelvic limb. Physical examination and diagnostic imaging report revealed a delayed union with suspected progression toward nonunion/malunion of the femur. Further assessment showed the presence of a multiplanar deformity with a distal femoral valgus, a caudomedial translation of 26 mm, a femoral torsion angle of 35° compared to 21° to the left, and an excessive limb shortening of 34% in the frontal plane/ 31% in the sagittal plane. A 3D-printed alignment guide (3DPAG) was designed, printed, and successfully used to reduce the delayed union/nonunion fracture. The precontoured LCP plate, secured with seven screws, provided stable fracture fixation. The 3DPAG contributed significantly to achieving accurate alignment and implant placement.
Keywords: Delayed union, Nonunion, femoral fracture, 3D-printed alignment guide, Trauma
Received: 16 Jan 2025; Accepted: 16 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Scortea, Muresan and Krauß. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Cosmin Muresan, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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