Surgical Ectrodactyly Repair Using Limb-lengthening and Bone Tissue Engineering Techniques in a Toy Dog Breed

Bone tissue engineering is an emerging field of regenerative medicine that holds promise for the restoration of bones affected by trauma, neoplastic diseases, and congenital deformity. During the past decade, bone tissue engineering has evolved from the use of biomaterials that can only replace small areas of damaged bone, to the use of scaffolds in which grafts can be seeded before implantation. This case report proposes an alternative option for a veterinary patient suffering from ectrodactyly, which is one of several congenital deformities in dogs. A 2-month-old male toy poodle dog with ectrodactyly was treated using several stages of surgery involving pancarpal arthrodesis, limb lengthening, and bone tissue engineering techniques.

Over a period of 2 years, the operated limb gained almost the same function as the contralateral limb. Bone tissue engineering techniques can be used for the treatment of congenital deformities in dogs.