Multi-centre retrospective study of long-term outcomes following traumatic elbow luxation in 37 dogs

Limited guidelines exist regarding the optimal treatment of traumatic canine elbow luxation, and there is a lack of information on long-term functional outcome. Here we report reduction and stabilisation techniques for a series of traumatic elbow luxations and describe clinical outcome plus long-term questionnaire-based follow-up.

Retrospective review of canine traumatic elbow luxations (2006 to 2013) treated at five referral centres. Data recorded included signalment, luxation aetiology, time to reduction, reduction technique, surgical procedure, post-reduction care and complications. Questionnaire follow-up was attempted for all cases with owners completing the Canine Brief Pain Inventory.

Thirty-seven dogs were included. The most frequent cause of luxation was road traffic accident (n=22). Twenty cases were treated surgically. Seven dogs suffered major postoperative complications: reluxation (n=6), infection requiring implant removal (n=1). Four of the six reluxations occurred in dogs that had other orthopaedic injuries. Twenty-two owners completed the Canine Brief Pain Inventory questionnaire: there were 13 excellent, 6 very good, 1 good and 2 fair outcomes. Outcome was not associated with the reduction technique.

Initial closed reduction, followed by surgical stabilisation if unsuccessful, results in good-to-excellent outcomes in the majority of traumatic canine elbow luxations. Reluxation was the most common major complication and there was a higher incidence of reluxation in patients with multiple orthopaedic injuries.