Surgical Management of an Open Humeral Fracture in a Greater Rhea (rhea Americana): Internal Placement of a Locking Compression Plate and Post-Operative Complications

A 17-year-old, 24-kg, female greater rhea (Rhea americana) presented with an acute onset of left wing droop. Clinical examination and radiographs revealed an open, simple, displaced, short-oblique diaphyseal fracture of the distal third of the left humerus. Surgical fracture repair with a locking compression plate was performed on Day 4, achieving excellent post-operative stability. Despite no excessive tissue tension during surgical closure, major complications ensued, including wing tip oedema and ischaemic necrosis, wound dehiscence and sequestration affecting 40% of the bone under the plate. On Day 96, wing amputation at the proximal third of the humerus was performed. Surgical treatment of humeral fractures has not been described in ratites, whose wing bones are heavy, dense and non-pneumatised. Although the surgical repair of the humeral fracture using a locking compression plate was technically successful in this case, major post-operative complications led to surgical amputation of the wing, which was ultimately curative.