Minimally invasive treatment of divergent elbow dislocation in a dog

The aim of this case report was to present the outcomes of minimally invasive surgical treatment of a rare and atypical form of an elbow joint luxation, known as 'divergent dislocation of the elbow' in a dog. Initially, a closed reduction of the dislocated elbow joint was performed, then surgical treatment was decided. A small incision was made on the caudal side of the ulna, then a 2 mm Kirschner wire was inserted from the caudal aspect of the proximal ulna to the radial neck. Following that, a 20 mm, 2.4 mm cortical screw was placed, securing the luxated radius to the ulna. All the procedures were undertaken under fluoroscopic guidance. Postoperative radiographs confirmed the anatomical reduction and the correct positioning of the implant. At 10 days postoperatively, the first follow-up radiographs showed no signs of reluxation. However, the dog couldn't fully support the weight on the leg. One month postoperatively, the dog could fully bear weight on the leg, the range of motion was within normal limits, and no complications were observed on the radiographs. The minimally invasive treatment of divergent dislocation of the elbow using cortical screws has not been previously reported. We believe that since only a disruption of the annular ligament was noted, a reduction using a cortical screw with a minimally invasive technique was sufficient to ensure a successful reduction of the elbow joint.