Tricortical pin tension-band wiring provides the greatest tensile resistance among fixation constructs for feline greater trochanteric avulsion fractures.

Tricortical pin TBW offers superior tensile resistance; bicortical pin TBW remains practical for routine feline greater trochanteric avulsion repair.

This cadaveric biomechanical study compared three fixation constructs for feline greater trochanteric (GT) avulsion fractures: bicortical pin tension-band wiring (TBW), tricortical pin TBW, and FiberWire-only fixation. Using 18 hindlimbs from 9 adult feline cadavers, specimens underwent standardized GT osteotomy followed by quasistatic tensile loading to failure. At 3-mm displacement, tricortical pin TBW demonstrated significantly greater load resistance compared to bicortical pin TBW (mean difference 45.0 N; 95% CI, 19.7–70.3 N) and FiberWire-only fixation (mean difference 140.5 N; 95% CI, 115.1–165.9 N). Notably, bicortical and tricortical constructs performed comparably at early displacement thresholds of 1 mm and 2 mm, suggesting equivalent early stability. FiberWire-only fixation consistently demonstrated the lowest load-bearing capacity across all displacement points, raising concerns about its adequacy as a standalone repair technique. The authors conclude that bicortical pin TBW offers a practical balance of strength and technical simplicity for routine GT avulsion repairs, making it suitable for most clinical scenarios. Tricortical pin TBW should be considered when maximal tensile resistance is required, such as in larger or more active patients. FiberWire-only fixation is not recommended as a primary fixation strategy due to insufficient load resistance. Limitations include the cadaveric model, small sample size (n=6 per group), and absence of cyclic fatigue testing, which may limit direct translation to in vivo clinical performance.

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