Polar bear Nora on the mend with help of AO VET faculty network
WITH DR KATI GLASS, JEFFREY WATKINS
The surgery
Watkins’ team provided the instrumentation necessary for the interlocking nail fixation. An AO Foundation industrial partner provided additional instrumentation and implants.
“If it hadn’t been for their support, the surgery would not have been possible,” Watkins said.
The surgery took a little over five hours, primarily because of the severe overriding of the fracture, complicating the process of bringing the fractured bone ends into apposition and getting the bone back into its normal alignment.
“We basically had to figure out polar bear anatomy as we approached the bone. Once we had exposed the humerus it took quite a bit of time to get the fracture reduced. This was due to the marked overriding of the fractured ends and the fact that the powerful muscles in Nora’s limb were contracted—all of which we had to overcome to return the fractured ends to their normal position and realign the humerus,” Watkins recalled. “Once the fracture was aligned, fixation with the interlocking nail was fairly straight-forward, but with the density of her bone, it was more difficult than typically encountered when repairing a foal’s humerus.”
It takes a team
Nora was using her injured leg normally within weeks of the surgery. She is gradually being reintroduced into her exhibit, and at this point, is expected to make a full recovery, Watkins said.
“This was an incredible team effort and underscores the significance of the entire team in a successful outcome,” he emphasized. “Although the surgery is a key element, a good outcome for the patient doesn’t happen without so many other things going on in the background before and long after the surgery. Of course, the surgery has to be done well, but the outcome is dependent on all of these other elements.”
The entire staff at Utah’s Hogle Zoo, led by Dr Erika Crook and Dr Nancy Carpenter, did a tremendous job before, during, and after surgery, Glass added. The anesthesia was overseen by Dr Alessio Vigani from the North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine and Dr Erika Crook from the Hogle Zoo. Peter Chalmers, MD, a Salt Lake City orthopedic surgeon and University of Utah Department of Orthopaedic Surgery faculty member, volunteered his time as a member of the surgery team.
“Literally, everyone played an important part,” Glass said. “One thing was clear, everyone was working towards a singular goal: to help Nora heal.”
Techniques and implants developed by AO VET were additional stars in the successful surgery, Wakins said.
“It’s the community spirit. When you look at a solar system, AO VET is the sun that everything revolves around. Without our involvement in AO VET, this wouldn’t have come to be,” he said. “We’re friends but we are also part of a big family.”
