EXPRESS: Minimally invasive application of a precontoured angle-stable interlocking nail in cats.

Minimally invasive precontoured interlocking nails provide excellent outcomes in feline long bone fracture repair.

This retrospective study evaluated the clinical outcomes of minimally invasive nail osteosynthesis using precontoured angle-stable interlocking nails (Surg'X®) in 26 cats with long bone fractures treated between June 2022 and September 2024. The cohort had a mean age of 5.2 years. Twenty-five cats were successfully stabilized using the minimally invasive approach, with one requiring conversion to open surgery due to fissure propagation during nail insertion. One cat was lost to follow-up due to concomitant disease. Post-operative complications were minimal: two minor complications (8%) including nail flexion and fissure opening without implant compromise, and one major complication (4%) involving nail fracture. Long-term functional assessment conducted 12-83 weeks post-operatively via questionnaire demonstrated complete functional recovery in all evaluated cats. No implant removals were necessary. The study demonstrates that minimally invasive interlocking nail osteosynthesis is a feasible and effective technique in feline orthopedic surgery, offering excellent clinical outcomes with a low complication rate.

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