Surgical treatment of delayed union and nonunion fractures in dogs: literature review

Abstract

Objective: To analyze different proposed treatments for delayed union and nonunion fractures in dogs, taking into consideration process classification, encountered conditions and feasibility of each treatment. Data Sources: LILACS, DEDALUS, PUBMED databases and the bibliographic collection of the Library of the "Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade de São Paulo" (College of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny from the University of São Paulo), São Paulo, Sp, Brazil, were surveyed during the period comprised from June 2003 to March 2004. Data Synthesis: Retarded union and nonunion are pathological events in fractures repair process, arising out of several physical OI' biological factors that result in an inadequate bone repair. Amongst the causes, no question that the most common is the inadequate choice of treatment, generating instability, loss of vascular provision and breach of the sequence of the healing biological processes. Conclusions: Experimental and clinical studies indicate a large variety of treatments, standing out among them the use of osteoinducting proteins.