Case Report: Treatment of Femoral Non-union With Rib and Iliac Crest Autografts and rhBMP-2 in a Cat

A 5-year-old, intact male Bengal cat weighing 5.2 kg was referred for the fixation failure of a right femoral fracture. Multiple surgical revisions failed, and atrophic non-union was diagnosed. The cat was then admitted for a final revision surgery using locking plate fixation in conjunction with rib and iliac crest autografts and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2). The fracture site was debrided and stabilized before filling the defect with 1.8 cm of rib bone autograft. The residual space in the defect was then filled with an iliac crest autograft. Finally, a 3 x5 cm absorbable collagen sponge soaked with 0.5 mL of 0.2 mg/mL rhBMP-2 solution was placed around the defect. No significant complications were noted postoperatively. Bone healing was noted 2 months postoperatively, and it continued for 12 months. Although mild lameness remained, the cat's ambulatory function and quality of life were good. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report of a clinical transplantation of a rib segment as an autograft in combination with rhBMP-2 in a cat with a large bone defect.

Automated summary

This case report describes a successful final revision surgery using locking plate fixation, rib bone and iliac crest autografts, and rhBMP-2 in a 5-year-old Bengal cat with a non-healing femoral fracture. Postoperatively, bone healing was noted 2 months after surgery and continued for 12 months, with good ambulatory function and quality of life observed in the cat despite mild lameness.