Case Report

The use of a pin-screw-wire tie-in configuration for ventral stabilization of congenital atlantoaxial instability in a Yorkshire terrier

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Abstract

A one-year-old Yorkshire terrier of 1.2 kg was presented with an eight-month-old history of non-ambulatory tetraparesis. The dog was diagnosed on right-lateral radiography with atlantoaxial instability (AAI). Ventral stabilization was achieved with a tie-in configuration. Two 0.9-mm-positive-profile-threaded pins and four 1.2-mm-locking screws were inserted into the atlas and the axis, respectively. The pin shafts were bent caudally and tied in with the screws using cerclage wire. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) was applied to the entire construct. The dog showed rapid improvement after surgery, walking on his own on day three, postoperatively. There were no complications related to the surgery. This adjusted multiple implant fixation technique using pins, screws and cerclage wire embedded in PMMA in a tie-in configuration can be a feasible option to provide rigid fixation for AAI in toy breed dogs.

How to Cite:

Han, H. & Kang, J. & Yoon, H., (2019) “The use of a pin-screw-wire tie-in configuration for ventral stabilization of congenital atlantoaxial instability in a Yorkshire terrier”, Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdschrift 88(4), 219-225. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/vdt.v88i4.16011