Figure 2.

Failure of a plate construct after treatment of a closed transverse fracture of the radius and ulna in a one-year-old Chihuahua. (A,B) The fracture was stabilized with a 7-hole 1.5 straight plate that did not permit interfragmentary compression, with four 1.5 mm cortical screws proximal and three 1.5 mm cortical screws distal to the fracture site. Autogenous cancellous bone graft was also applied to the fracture. (C) Plate breakage was found at 3 weeks after surgery at the level of the fracture. Although the implant was considered a neutralization plate, plate strain at the level of the fracture would be expected to be high after surgery as fracture reduction and the lack of interfragmentary compression left a small gap at the fracture site. (D) The fracture construct was revised with another 7-hole 1.5 mm straight plate. The final outcome was a delayed union after 70 days.