Programme

How to use Bone Plates and Screws

• The principles and application of dynamic compression plates
• How to use a DCP plate as either a compression plate, neutralisation plate or bridging plate
• The difference between cortical and cancellous and locking bone screws
• The difference between plate screws, lag screws, positional and locking screws
• When and how to lag screw
• Locking plates – advantages and indications
• The importance of pre-operative temporary fracture support
• How to position and drape animals for fracture repair to simplify surgery
• Comminuted fractures – what to do with all the ‘bits’
• When and when not to bone graft
• Reinforcing bone plates
• Plate-rod and orthogonal plate constructs

External Skeletal Fixation

• The importance of the pin-bone interface
• Why threaded pins will double the life expectancy of your ESF
• Why pre-drilling before you place the ESF pin buys you time
• How updating your ESF kit will make your life easier
• The principles and application of linear ESFs
• Applying ESFs to antebrachial and tibial fractures
• How to position and drape animals for fracture repair to simplify surgery
• The use of hybrid ESFs in very distal juxtarticular fractures
• Why carbon fibre and titanium are not just for bicycles
• When to destabilise an ESF and which bits to remove

Effective Use of Pins and Orthopaedic Wire

• Case examples to review common errors in the use of pins and wires and highlight the decision-making and principles of application of intramedullary pins, cerclage wire, K wires and tension band wires that are necessary for consistent success
• The fracture decision-making table and how to use it to know when friction fixation is a good idea and when it isn’t!
• Why IM pins are good at resisting three biomechanical forces; bending, bending and bending!
• Why placing twist cerclage wire effectively in dogs is technically very challenging
• Why double loop cerclage is stronger, easier and more reliable than twist cerclage
• Why the tibia is a challenge for cerclage wire
• How to simplify fracture reduction when repairing distal femoral physeal fractures with crossed K wires
• How to simplify placing K wires in tibial crest osteotomies

Course Feedback:

“Good practical approach useful for use in general practice”

“Understood principles better especially on making decisions”

“Very easy to understand and definitely an inspiring teacher!”