Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes and complications of dogs that had pancarpal arthrodesis (PCA) using a titanium hybrid advanced locking plate system (ALPS) and stainless steel hybrid dynamic compression plate (HDCP).
Study design: Retrospective observational study.
Methods: Medical records (2007-2020) were reviewed for cases that had PCA performed using ALPS or HDCP. Implant characteristics including metacarpal coverage (MCov), metacarpal width occupied by screw diameter percentage and carpal arthrodesis angle (CAA), complications and outcomes were recorded.
Results: Pancarpal arthrodesis was performed with ALPS on 15 limbs from 12 dogs, and HDCP on 14 limbs from 11dogs. Median follow-up time was 1,157 days (range: 62-1,902 days) for ALPS group and 340 days (range: 43-1,465 days) for HDCP. Median MCov for ALPS group was 74% (range: 60-87.5%) compared with 56.5% (range: 49.7-91.3%) for HDCP (p = 0.001). There was no difference in CAA and metacarpal width to screw diameter percentage between ALPS and HDCP group. Major and minor complications and surgical site infection rates were not statistically different between the two groups. Plate fracture occurred in 2/15 ALPS PCA and screw loosening occurred in 4/14 HDCP PCA. Full function was achieved in 8/12 AND 8/11 OF ALPS AND HDCP: cases, respectively, which was not statistically different (p = 0.76).
Conclusion: The use of ALPS offers comparable performance to HDCP for PCA.
