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Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 1994; 07(03): 98-100
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1633128
Review Article
Schattauer GmbH

Thoracic Injuries in Cats with Traumatic Fractures

Dominique J. Griffon
1   From the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
,
Patricia A. Walter
1   From the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
,
L. J. Wallace
1   From the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 20 September 1993

Publication Date:
08 February 2018 (online)

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Summary

The medical records of 93 cats with traumatic fractures were examined to study the pattern of thoracic trauma and establish a possible relationship between specific patterns of skeletal trauma and the prevalence of thoracic wall and pulmonary injury. Radiographic evidence of thoracic trauma was identified in 38.7% of these cats. Cats with fractures cranial to T13 were significantly more likely to sustain thoracic trauma (58%) compared to those suffering a fracture caudal to LI (25%). Cats involved in motor vehicle accident were more likely to have radiographic evidence of thoracic trauma (52%) compared to those injured by other means (22%). Forty percent of cats with radio-graphic evidence of thoracic injury did not show any clinical sign.

In a retrospective survey of 93 cats admitted for evaluation of traumatic fractures, 36 cats (38.7%) had radiographic evidence of thoracic trauma. The most common thoracic injuries were lung contusion (66.6%) and pneumothorax (36%). Forty percent of the cats, with radiographic abnormalities, did not show clinical signs suggestive of thoracic injury.

Keywords

Thoracic trauma in cats - fracture pattern
 

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