When 2-year-old Otis arrived at MSPCA-Angell West, something didn't look right. He wasn't walking normally and X-rays soon revealed why. Otis has been living with a femur (thigh bone) broken in three pieces, likely for weeks.
His leg would need major surgery or amputation. The Cat Connection, based in Waltham, rescued Otis after he wandered into a kind samaritan's basement looking for food and companionship. When no home could be found, the staff committed to giving him the care he needed to ultimately find a new family. After all he had already endured, The Cat Connection wanted to do everything possible to save his limb. That's when they turned to the surgical team at MSPCA-Angell West.
Dr. Hadley Gleason, a surgeon at MSPCA-Angell West, reviewed Otis's X-rays and determined that the bone would need to be carefully rebroken to set it properly. Though difficult, it was the only way to ensure that Otis wouldn't face a lifetime of pain, deformity, and severe arthritis.
In May, Dr. Gleason performed the surgery using MSPCA-Angell West's new Ziehm Solo FD C-arm, an advanced imaging system that provides real-time, intra-operative images and allows surgeons to use minimally invasive approaches to fractures, leading to better outcomes and faster recovery. With this technology, she placed an interlocking nail to realign and stabilize Otis's femur. This repair method is both stronger than bone plates and better at preserving the bone's blood supply, which supports healing.
Amazingly, Otis was up and ready to use his leg the very next morning! Six weeks later, his follow-up X-rays showed a completely healed femur, and his foster family reported that he was back to doing what young cats do best — playing!
