Korchek et al: Association of fracture gap with implant failure in radius and ulna fractures in toy breed dogs—A multicenter retrospective cohort study
Veterinary Surgery 2, 2025

🔍 Key Findings

80 toy breed dogs with surgically repaired transverse radius/ulna fractures were analyzed.
Fracture gap in the caudal cortex was present in 46% of cases.
Implant failure rate:

• 27% in cases with fracture gap
• 2% in cases without fracture gap

Fracture gap significantly associated with implant failure:

• OR = 23.0, 95% CI: 2.7–197.9, p = 0.004

Absence of external coaptation also associated with increased implant failure risk:

• OR = 10.1, 95% CI: 1.1–89.6, p = 0.04

Prolonged external coaptation (>1 week) linked to non-implant complications (skin wounds, osteopenia, osteomyelitis):

• OR = 5.4, p = 0.04

Plate thickness, type, open screw holes, and working length were not statistically significant predictors of implant failure after multivariable analysis.