Obturator nerve impingement as a severe late complication of bilateral triple pelvic osteotomy

K. Tong; K. Hayashi

doi:10.3415/VCOT-11-03-0039

Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Table of Contents

Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2012; 25(01): 67-70
DOI: 10.3415/VCOT-11-03-0039

Case Report

Schattauer GmbH

Obturator nerve impingement as a severe late complication of bilateral triple pelvic osteotomy

K. Tong

¹Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA

,

K. Hayashi

¹Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA

²Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Summary

A four-year-old female spayed Labrador Retriever, which had undergone bilateral triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) at the age of eight months, was presented with severe progressive shifting pelvic limb lameness for a duration of three months prior to presentation. The dog had multiple episodes of showing signs of excruciating pain, as well as an inability to rise or ambulate, inappetance, and lethargy. Orthopaedic examination revealed severe bilateral pelvic limb muscular atrophy, and signs of severe pain on abduction of the pelvic limbs, on rectal palpation ventrally, and on palpation of the region of the iliopsoas and pectineus muscles bilaterally. Surgery was indicated to explore the region and to release the pectineus and iliopsoas muscles. During surgery, callus tissue and the free section of pubic bone were found to be impinging on the obturator nerve at the previous TPO pubic osteotomy site bilaterally. On both sides, a 1 to 2 cm segment of pubis and fibrous callus tissue were excised and the obturator nerves were freed from the impingement. Immediately after the surgery, the patient’s stance and gait were dramatically improved. The dog could maintain a much broader based stance and make longer strides with the pelvic limbs. At the two month follow-up examination, there were not any signs of lameness noted. Obturator nerve impingement can be a serious potential complication of TPO and may manifest clinically as marked pelvic limb lameness years after surgery.

Keywords

Triple pelvic osteotomy - obturator nerve - lameness - complication

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References

References
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