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Tiger came to our hospital showing swelling of one of his hind legs. He had been away for home for a few days and returned home with this injury. He was a young cat when we saw him: about 6 months old.

Cats have the unfortunate habit of roaming away form home. On their return they are often injured, dehydrated and in need of Veterinary treatment.

On the left-hand X-ray, the injury might not be obvious.

The right-hand image shows a distal femur fracture. It is also known as a physeal fracture or supra-condular fracture.

This type of fracture is quite common in young animals. It is a fracture through the growth plate of the femur (the area responsible for length-wise growth of the bone)

As can be seen here, good reduction of the fracture was achieved.

It can be a tricky operation as it is often difficult to hold the small piece of bone stable wile pushing the pins into place.

Different approaches to this case could be used:

• Rush-pins, as was used here
• Cross pins
• A single intra-medullary pin
• Combinations of the above

For the Rush-pin method, the pins are inserted from the sides of the knee joint. The main joint surface is thus avoided.

The pin is advanced in such a way that it doesn’t penetrate the opposite cortex of the bone, but ‘bounces’ off the inside of the bone wall.

When two pins are placed in this fashion, the reduction is very stable as the natural spring action of the pins hold the fragment in place.

Tiger will live to walk and play again!