Surgical treatment of coxofemoral luxation in two cattle

A three-week-old Holstein Friesian calf and a 20-month-old Jersey heifer were referred to the Department of Farm Animals, University of Zurich, because of coxofemoral luxation. Both animals were moderately lame on the affected hind limb, which was swollen in the hip region and appeared to be adducted and shorter than the contralateral normal hind limb. Radiographs of the affected hips confirmed craniodorsal displacement of the femur. In both animals, traction and open reduction was carried out under general anaesthesia. The joint capsule, which was severely torn, was repaired using suture material or a non absorbable mesh. In the calf, two 4.5-mm screws and washers were placed in the dorsal rim of the acetabulum. Strong nonabsorbable suture material of USP 6 in size was placed around each screw and through a pre-drilled hole in the femoral neck and back to the screw in a figure-8 pattern. The sutures were tied and the screws tightened. In the heifer, a non-absorbable mesh was attached to the dorsal acetabular rim using three 4.5-mm cortical screws. The mesh was sutured to the joint capsule at the femoral neck using strong non-absorbable suture material in a simple continuous pattern. Complications were not encountered during the postoperative period. Six months after discharge, both animals were in good general health, although the heifer had mild lameness and muscle atrophy in the operated limb.