Orthopedics in horses involves the study and treatment of disorders affecting the musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. This field addresses a range of conditions, from developmental disorders and degenerative diseases to traumatic injuries. Common orthopedic issues in horses include fractures, osteoarthritis, tendonitis, and ligament injuries. Diagnostic techniques such as radiography, ultrasonography, and MRI are employed to assess these conditions. Treatment options may include surgical intervention, physical therapy, and pharmacological management. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diagnosis, treatment, and management of orthopedic conditions in equine patients.
Whitehair KJ, Adams SB, Toombs JP, Parker JE, Prostredny JM, Whitehair JG, Aiken SW.A llama, a miniature horse, and a miniature donkey with severe bilateral congenital flexural deformities of the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints were treated successfully by arthrodesis with dynamic compression plating or external skeletal fixation. The flexor tendons were more taut than the suspensory ligaments and were transected. In the llama, the suspensory ligament was transected, and overcorrection caused ischemic necrosis of one distal limb and subluxation of the other fetlock joint. In the horse and donkey, the suspensory ligament was preserved and wedge osteotomy was...
Hunt RJ, Baxter GM, Zamos DT.A transverse, comminuted fracture of the patella was treated surgically by combining tension-band wiring and lag-screw fixation in a horse. Partial patellectomy or smaller detached fragments of the patella was performed. Satisfactory healing of the fracture was evident 10 weeks after surgery, and there were no complications. Implants were not removed. The horse was sound at a trot 4 months after surgery and was used for pleasure riding 8 months later.
Malark JA, Nixon AJ, Haughland MA, Brown MP.The medical records of 17 horses with coxofemoral luxation were examined. Ponies and miniature horses were overrepresented. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 7 years (range 1 month to 25 years). Seventy percent were female. Severe trauma, such as a fall or being kicked by another horse, was a common etiology. Thirty-five percent had other orthopedic injuries associated with the luxation. Closed reduction, with the use of a mechanically assisted calving device, was attained in 5 cases but reluxation occurred shortly afterward in 4 of these. Varying surgical techniques were used in 3 cas...
Sullins KE.Indications for performing orthopedic surgery on the standing horse include inability to tolerate general anesthesia, risk of worsening an injury during recovery from anesthesia, and cost. The surgeon should be aware that performing surgery in the standing horse can be more demanding and require more experience than the same procedures when the time and convenience of general anesthesia are available. Improved sedatives and analgesics have allowed more latitude because the horses now are more tolerant than when older agents were used. Common sense should be applied to each situation before the...
Smith BL, Auer JA, Taylor TS, Hulse DS, Longnecker MT.Cortical bone screws were implanted into the proximal portion of the right and left radius and ulna of 6 newborn Quarter Horse foals as radiographic markers for measurement of growth. Distance between markers on a lateral radiographic view was measured. Radiographs were taken at 2-week intervals until the horses were 8 weeks old, at 4-week intervals until they were 48 weeks old, and at 12-week intervals until they were 72 weeks old. The proximal radius and ulna grew at similar rates during the 72-week period of evaluation, and growth continued throughout 72 weeks. The proximal radius grew 3.5 ...
O'Callaghan MW.There is increasing demand on equine practitioners to provide confirmation of their diagnoses. For obscure lameness and for many of the more difficult locomotory problems presented in referral hospitals, the question to be answered is not only how to make the most accurate diagnosis but also how to document the findings so that there is less doubt in the mind of the client. This article describes a quasi algorithmic approach to choosing the best combinations of the increasingly sophisticated imaging methods available for evaluation of orthopedic disease.
Steckel RR.Bone scanning to help diagnose orthopedic disease has been used in human patients for over two decades. The value of this diagnostic tool has been well established in helping to identify a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. It has only recently been used by veterinarians for more accurate characterization of equine musculoskeletal disease. The technique offers the major advantage of increased sensitivity over standard radiographic imaging. The case material illustrated here shows that except for consistent identification of bone cysts, most of the pathologic changes to the horse's musculos...
Prügner W, Huber R, Lühmann R.Two controlled studies to determine efficacy in the horse were performed with eltenac, a new injectable, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Clinical trials were carried out with a dose rate of 1 mg/kg body weight in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind design to assess therapeutic efficacy in acute inflammatory disorders and in animals with orthopaedic conditions. In a preliminary pharmacokinetic investigation in six horses mean elimination half-life was 1.7 h after i.v. administration. In the first clinical study, analgesic activity on pain-related lameness was determined...
Sweeney RW, Sweeney CR, Weiher J.Case records of 200 horses treated with metronidazole were reviewed. Horses were treated for respiratory tract infections (90 cases), peritonitis or abdominal abscess (39 cases), celiotomy (49 cases), orthopedic infections (6 cases), and miscellaneous soft tissue infections (16 cases). Bacteria of the genus Bacteroides were most prevalent (55 of 167 anaerobic isolates). Metronidazole was always used in combination with other antimicrobial drugs. Only 4 of the 200 horses had signs of adverse effects associated with metronidazole treatment. Those 4 horses had poor appetite that resolved when met...
Németh F, Back W.The walking cast was used to repair 46 fractures of long bones (distal radius and tibia, metacarpus and metatarsus) and 10 fractures of first phalanx of 35 horses and 21 ponies. The walking cast proved to be highly effective. Even heavily comminuted and 'hopeless' fractures, which could not be treated with osteosynthesis, were treated successfully, because the weight of the animal, a common failure factor in large animal orthopaedics, was relieved from the injured leg. Immediate full weight bearing was possible post operatively. In five cases the walking cast was used in combination with osteo...
Merkens HW.Forces occurring between the hoof and the ground during the stance phase (i.e. the ground reaction forces GRF) can be analysed using a force plate. The average of a number of five to stance time and body weight normalised GRF recordings (data) will provide 'representative' GRF patterns. These can be used for objective and quantitative evaluation of various forms of therapy in equine orthopaedics as well as for locomotion research during various forms of equestrian sports.
Hodgson DS, Dunlop CI.We have discussed anesthetic techniques, special considerations, and expected complications involved in anesthetizing horses for abdominal, orthopedic, and head and neck surgery, and myelography and have described expected physiologic dysfunction that may require changes in anesthetic technique or supportive measures. The objective is high-quality patient care and reduction in anesthesia-related morbidity and death.
Kronfeld DS, Meacham TN, Donoghue S.The clinician may choose between two approaches to nutritional intervention. One is to evaluate the ration and make a painstaking effort to identify those specific factors operating in a particular case, then correct them. The second is to evaluate the ration, inspect for obvious aberrations, and, if finding none, proceed with no further delay to formulate an optimal diet, or a series, for the animals, and design a feeding program to suit farm management. Veterinarians should counsel clients on the possible or probable consequences of level of feeding on growth rate and clinical expression of ...
Barrey E.A greater knowledge of the biomechanics is necessary in equine orthopaedics, therapeutics, farriery and for the selection of athletic horses. The purpose of this study was to determine the normal distribution of the vertical component of the hoof force using a measuring boot. The measurements were carried out using 20 sound horses walking and trotting on a straight hard track. A force measuring horseshoe, attached to the foot with a boot, provided continuous recording of vertical forces at four locations on the hoof. For each measuring location, a computer program produced curves and calculate...
Ferraro GL.Thoroughbred racehorses are susceptible to any and all of the commonly described conditions that affect soundness in the horse. This discussion does not include every conceivable ailment or orthopedic condition that afflicts these animals. Rather, it confines itself to a few specific conditions of the racing Thoroughbred that are either unique to their particular endeavor or so overwhelmingly important to a successful racing career that they must, of necessity, be discussed.
Foerner JJ, McIlwraith CW.This article attempts to address what the authors consider to be the major orthopedic problems in the racehorse, with particular attention to their treatment and prognosis. These problems include fractures, osteochondral fragments, synovitis, degenerative joint disease, tendinitis, desmitis, osteochondritis dissecans, and subchondral cystic lesions of the joints.
Seeherman HJ, Morris E, O'Callaghan MW.Discovering the cause of poor performance in racehorses can often represent a considerable challenge eluding the more common diagnostic techniques available at the racetrack. Application of sports medicine techniques to these problem cases can aid in the diagnosis of poor performance. Central to the development of this capability has been the use of highspeed treadmills, allowing the racehorse to be evaluated in the controlled laboratory setting, at exercise intensities equivalent to those of racing. Video and cinematographic gait analysis can be used in the diagnosis of subtle lameness condit...
Meyers MC, Elledge JR, Sterling JC, Tolson H.Collegiate rodeo athletes (N = 156) in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Southern Region, were examined for injuries during a 7 month (10 rodeo) season from 1987 to 1988. Sixty-two athletes sustained a total of 138 acute injuries resulting from 3292 exposures. One hundred twenty-seven injuries (92% of total injuries) occurred in the roughstock and steer wrestling events, and 11 injuries (8%) occurred in the roping and female events. When calculating opportunity for injury, rodeo athletes face an 89% potential for injury per season. Ninety-one of the injuries incurred were u...
Shiroma JT, Engel HN, Wagner PC, Watrous BJ.In horses, dorsal subluxation of the proximal interphalangeal joint in the pelvic limb, which realigned when weight was applied to the limb, improved following surgery. Improvement was observed, if not immediately, at least within two weeks after treatment. The severity and duration of the condition appear to be important considerations in predicting the time necessary for resolution of the condition following surgery. Treatment consisted of surgical resection of a small segment of the medial head of the deep digital flexor tendon in the pelvic limb. The section removed was positioned distal t...
Palmer SE.Five horses with apical and abaxial fractures of the proximal sesamoid bones were treated arthroscopically. Ipsilateral and contralateral triangulation were used to remove abaxial fragments; apical fragments were removed by ipsilateral triangulation. Excellent visibility of the fracture fragments was obtained with each method. Dissection and removal of fragments was accomplished with standard arthroscopic instruments, tendon-splitting knives, and curved scissors. Excellent functional and cosmetic results were achieved in all cases.
West HJ.In 18 horses there was no effect of age or sex on plasma activities of gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT), 5'-nucleotidase (5'-NT) and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP). All the enzymes were equally stable after storage for one month at -20 degrees C and there was no significant difference between their activities in serum and plasma in clinically normal horses. The pattern of release of gamma-GT, 5'-NT and LAP into plasma was studied in 114 horses which had a variety of orthopaedic, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and hepatic (necrosis, lipidosis, neoplasia and cirrhosis) conditions. A definit...
Balazs EA, Denlinger JL.The availability of elastoviscous solutions of highly purified hyaluronan has created two new therapeutic methods in human and veterinary medicine: viscosurgery and viscosupplementation. Viscosurgical tools and implants are widely used in ophthalmology and have been suggested for use in otology. Visco-supplementation of joint fluid using elastoviscous hyaluronan solutions is widely used in the treatment of equine traumatic arthritis. It was also suggested for use in idiopathic osteoarthritis in humans, but this application has not received wide acceptance. Cross-linked forms of hyaluronan have...
Jones RS, Payne-Johnson CE, Seymour CJ.A NUMBER of post general anaesthetic complications are
known to occur in the horse and are well documented (Heath
1981). These include post anaesthetic forelimb lameness o r
ischaemic myopathy (so-called 'radial paralysis') (Trim and
Mason 1974) and spinal cord degeneration (Brearley, Jones,
Kelly and Cox 1986). The only postoperative respiratory
complication which has been documented in the horse is
postoperative hypoxaemia (Gillespie, Hall and 3 1 e r 1969;
Waterman, Jones and Richards 1982).
In a report of the post mortem examinations of 185 injured
human patients who died followi...
Sandgren B.Radiographic examination of the tarsocrural, metacarpo- or metatarsophalangeal joints was made in 139 Standardbred horses. Most were under three years old with no history of orthopaedic problems. In the tarsocrural joint, osteochondrosis was observed in 25 (18.1 percent) of the horses (n = 138) and 14 (56 percent) of these were affected bilaterally. In the metatarsophalangeal joint, the most frequent radiographic abnormality was single or multiple bony fragments or defects at the plantar proximal end of the proximal phalanx, which was noticed in 40 (28.8 percent) of the horses (n = 139). The l...
Crawley GR, Grant BD, White KK, Barbee DD, Gallina AM, Ratzlaff MH.A modified Cloward's technique was performed for arthrodesis of one metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint in eight horses. Dorsal arthrotomies were performed medial and lateral to the common digital extensor tendon and two 16 mm holes were drilled through the joint. A perforated cylindrical stainless steel basket filled with cancellous bone was impacted into each hole. The limbs were supported in casts for 8 weeks. The joints were examined and radiographed at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 6 months, and 10 months. One horse was euthanatized at week 14 to assess the progress of the arthrodesis. In the other seven...
Markel MD, Nunamaker DM, Wheat JD, Sams AE.The stiffness, load to failure, and bending moments of adult intact equine humeri and humeri repaired with 3 fixation techniques were determined in vitro. Bones were tested in axial compression (30 pairs), mediolateral 3-point bending (15 pairs), and caudocranial 3-point bending (15 pairs). An oblique osteotomy of 1 humerus of each pair was performed to simulate the long spiral oblique fractures that occur clinically in horses. Bones were repaired in 3 ways: group 1--nylon band cerclage fixation (20 bones); group 2--multiple intramedullary pinning (20 bones); and group 3--nylon band cerclage f...
Martin BB, Reef VB.The successful conservative treatment of an open, displaced fracture of the radius of a horse suggests that conservative treatment should not be ignored when surgery is not an option. The importance of proper soft-tissue management and the use of broad-spectrum antimicrobial treatment in the management of orthopedic injuries is emphasized.
Denny HR, Barr AR, Waterman A.A series of 25 horses with olecranon fractures are reviewed. Twenty-one cases were treated surgically by the application of a tension band plate to the caudal aspect of the ulna. Seventy six per cent of these regained full limb function. The results of treatment are compared with two other series of conservatively and surgically treated cases.
Klopfenstein Bregger MD, Fürst AE, Kircher PR, Kluge K, Kummer M.To describe minimally-invasive lag screw osteosynthesis combined with external coaptation for the treatment of Salter-Harris type II third metacarpal and third metatarsal bone fractures. Methods: Three foals aged two weeks to four months with a Salter-Harris type II third metacarpal or third metatarsal fracture. Surgery was carried out under general anaesthesia in lateral recumbency. After fracture reduction, the metaphyseal fragment was stabilized with two cortical screws placed in lag fashion under fluoroscopic control. A cast was applied for at least two weeks. Results: All foals had a good...
Porter EG, Cuddy LC, Graham AS, Reese DJ, Porter MB, Morton AJ, Lewis DD.A five-week-old American Quarter Horse colt was presented for evaluation of a left hindlimb deformity and lameness. Radiographs of the left hindlimb revealed a varus deformity with recurvatum originating in the mid-diaphysis of the third metatarsal bone. Surgical correction was undertaken by performing an osteotomy through the centre of rotation of angulation located within the mid-diaphysis of the third metatarsal bone, and a four-ring hinged circular external fixator construct was applied. Distraction of the osteotomy site was performed over an 11 day period. Notable complications included f...
Woodie JB, Ruggles AJ, Litsky AS.To evaluate 2 methods of midbody proximal sesamoid bone repair--fixation by a screw placed in lag fashion and circumferential wire fixation--by comparing yield load and the adjacent soft-tissue strain during monotonic loading. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: 10 paired equine cadaver forelimbs from race-trained horses. Methods: A transverse midbody osteotomy of the medial proximal sesamoid bone (PSB) was created. The osteotomy was repaired with a 4.5-mm cortex bone screw placed in lag fashion or a 1.25-mm circumferential wire. The limbs were instrumented with differential variable relucta...
Modesto RB, Rodgerson DH, Masciarelli AE, Spirito M.This retrospective study describes placement of distal radial transphyseal screws in Thoroughbred yearlings with carpal varus deformities while standing, and identifes short- and long-term complications following the procedure. Data gathered from 2009 to 2013 identified 8 yearlings that met the inclusion criteria. Horses were sedated intravenously and a single 4.5-mm cortical screw was placed in the distal lateral radial physis following application of local anesthetic and surgical preparation of a pre-placed hole. All horses were evaluated weekly after surgery and screw removal was performed ...
Seeherman HJ, Morris E, O'Callaghan MW.Discovering the cause of poor performance in racehorses can often represent a considerable challenge eluding the more common diagnostic techniques available at the racetrack. Application of sports medicine techniques to these problem cases can aid in the diagnosis of poor performance. Central to the development of this capability has been the use of highspeed treadmills, allowing the racehorse to be evaluated in the controlled laboratory setting, at exercise intensities equivalent to those of racing. Video and cinematographic gait analysis can be used in the diagnosis of subtle lameness condit...
Curtiss AL, Goodrich LR, Rossignol F, Richardson DW.To report the outcome of horses after pancarpal or partial carpal arthrodesis with 3 locking compression plates (LCP). Methods: Case series. Methods: Six horses ranging in age from 8 months to 16 years and weighing 227-580 kg with severe carpal pathology including acute fractures, chronic osteoarthritis, and chronic angular limb deformity. Methods: Pancarpal or partial carpal arthrodesis was performed with 3 LCP. Autologous cancellous bone grafts were used in 5 of 6 cases to facilitate joint arthrodesis. Results: External coaptation was maintained for 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. Radiographic...
Hopper SA, Schneider RK, Ratzlaff MH, White KK, Johnson CH.To determine the ability of a full-limb transfixation pin cast to protect the distal portion of the equine forelimb from weight-bearing forces by measuring bone strain in vitro on cadaver limbs loaded in a mechanical testing machine. Methods: 6 forelimbs from 6 horses. Methods: Each limb was instrumented with 3 unidirectional metal foil electrical resistant strain gauges. Gauges were placed on the dorsal aspect of the distal portion of the radius and the mid-dorsal portion of the cortex of the third metacarpal bone and the first phalanx. Each limb was tested 3 times, once supported with a tran...
Janicek JC, Wilson DA, Carson WL, Kramer J.To compare stiffness and strength of a dynamic condylar screw plate combined with dorsal broad dynamic compression plate (DCS-bDCP) fixation with double broad dynamic compression plate (dbDCP) fixation used to repair oblique distal fractures of adult equine radii. Methods: Experimental. Methods: Adult equine radii (n=10 pair). Methods: An unconstrained three-dimensional loading-measurement system was used to determine stiffness of a 50 mm long intact, and then DCS-bDCP or dbDCP-plated osteotomized/ostectomized segment of radii when subjected to a nondestructive sequence of compression, torsion...
Qin SH, Sun L, Zheng XJ.To explore the Ilizarov mini-invasive distraction technique for the treatment of severer ankle and foot deformities secondary to ischemic contracture of the leg. Methods: Based on the tension-stress low of Ilizarov, a serial of adjustable three dimensions external distractive instrument was developed in our department. From April 2002 to March 2004, 8 patients with ankle and foot deformities secondary to ischemic contracture of the leg induced by trauma and fracture were treated with the distractive instrument. Of them, 4 patient were male and 4 female, aged from 13 to 31 years with an average...
Murray RC, Gaughan EM, Debowes RM, Hoskinson JJ.To assess feasibility of insertion of 4.5-mm Herbert cannulated bone screws (HS) using fluoroscopic guidance and compare the mechanical shear strength of these HS and 4.5-mm AO cortical bone screws (AO) for fixation of dorsal plane slab osteotomies in equine cadaver third carpal bones (C3). Methods: Eight equine cadavers. Methods: Bone mineral composition and density of contralateral C3 were confirmed to be equivalent using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. A standard 10-mm C3 slab osteotomy was reduced using HS or AO instrumentation under fluoroscopic guidance. Specimens were loaded in shear ...
Lescun TB, Frank EA, Zacharias JR, Daggy JK, Moore GE.To compare the bone temperature and final hole dimensions associated with sequential overdrilling (SO) and single 6.2-mm drill bit (S6.2DB) methods used to create transcortical holes in the third metacarpal bones (MCIIIs) of horse cadavers. Methods: 60 MCIIIs from 30 horse cadavers. Methods: In phase 1, hole diameter, tap insertion torque, peak bone temperature, and postdrilling bit temperature for 6.2-mm-diameter holes drilled in the lateral or medial cortical region of 12 MCIIIs via each of three 2-bit SO methods with a single pilot hole (diameter, 3.2, 4.5, or 5.5 mm) and the S6.2DB method ...
Pye JL, Garcia TC, Kapatkin AS, Samol MA, Stover S.To compare (1) performance of compact versus standard flute drill bits, (2) screw insertion properties and (3) pullout variables between interlocking thread (ITS) and buttress thread (BTS) self-tapping screws in third metacarpi. Methods: In vitro experimental study. Methods: Paired third metacarpi from 11 Thoroughbreds aged 2-4 years. Methods: Screws were inserted into the lateral condylar fossae following bone preparation using the respective drill bit for each screw type. Screw pullout was achieved using a mechanical testing system. Density and porosity of bone surrounding screw holes was ...
Bertone AL.Initial management of injuries includes safely gaining control of the animal and assessing and treating systemic shock. If hemorrhage is life threatening, it must be controlled. If the limb is nonfunctional it should be stabilized. Any open orthopedic injury should be treated by cleaning the tissues, protecting the exposed tissues, and administering systemic antibiotics. A commercial splint is available (Equine Regular Leg Saver Splint, Kimzey Welding Works, Woodland, CA) that can immobilize and relieve weightbearing for cases of phalangeal fracture, flexor tendon rupture, fetlock breakdown, a...
Changoor A, Hurtig MB, John Runciman R.Multiple osteochondral grafts can be used to resurface large joint defects in both humans and horses. In humans, immediate postoperative weight bearing can be prevented, however in the equine, it is unavoidable. Early weight bearing can create detrimental graft micromotion. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of a bioresorbable cement in improving the initial stability of multiple osteochondral graft repairs of large subchondral cystic lesions in the horse. Configurations employed for filling a 20mm diameter cylindrical defect included: (A) twelve 4.5mm diameter grafts with cemen...
Jackson MA, Ohlerth S, Fürst AE.To describe the use of an aiming device (AD) and computed tomography (CT) for preoperative planning and intraoperative guided debridement of subchondral cystic lesions (SCL) in the limbs of horses and to determine the outcome 12 months after surgery. Methods: Prospective case series. Methods: Twelve horses referred because of lameness caused by 1 or 2 SCL (total of 14 SCL). Methods: All horses underwent CT-guided debridement of the SCL. The entry point of the drill bit and direction of drilling were planned and controlled by using a series of CT images and the AD. The SCL were curetted and fil...
Sod GA, Hubert JD, Martin GS, Gill MS.To compare biomechanical properties of a prototype 5.5 mm tapered shaft cortical screw (TSS) and 5.5 mm AO cortical screw for an equine third metacarpal dynamic compression plate (EM-DCP) fixation to repair osteotomized equine third metacarpal (MC3) bones. Methods: Paired in vitro biomechanical testing of cadaveric equine MC3 with a mid-diaphyseal osteotomy, stabilized by 1 of 2 methods for fracture fixation. Methods: Adult equine cadaveric MC3 bones (n=12 pairs). Methods: Twelve pairs of equine MC3 were divided into 3 groups (4 pairs each) for (1) 4-point bending single cycle to failure testi...
The Journal of traumaAugust 13, 2008
Volume 65, Issue 2 447-460 doi: 10.1097/TA.0b013e31817dac43
Loder RT.It was the purpose of this study to review equestrian-related injuries using a large nation wide database and analyze predictors of significant injury. Methods: The National Electronic Surveillance System database was queried for equestrian injuries from 2002 to 2004. The presence of a fracture, dislocation, traumatic brain injury, musculoskeletal injury, orthopedic injury, and spinal injury, as well as injury mechanism, geographical location, and emergency room disposition were noted. Bivariate, cosinor seasonal, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. p < 0.01 was considere...
Chans-Veres J, Albiñana-Cunningham J, Quintela JM, Pereira E, Tejero S.Surgery for severe equine cavo-varus is complex and must be individualized. The interindividual phenotypic variability demands a personalized planning of each foot to be operated. The study's primary goal was to evaluate the function and satisfaction of a series of patients with severe equinus cavo-varus deformity who underwent a triplanar tarsectomy and transposition of the posterior tibial tendon in a single stage surgery after a patient specific 3D biomodel planning. A series of 12 feet (5 patients bilaterally) operated with this technique was analyzed. The cohort comprised 2 females (28.5 ...
Duz M, Marshall JF, Parkin TD.There is little knowledge of the prescription of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and whether their prescription varies between countries. Objective: To describe prescription practices of NSAIDs in equids in the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA) and Canada. Methods: Descriptive observational study. Methods: Free-text electronic medical records from 141,543 equids from 10 equine practices in the UK, 255,777 equids from 7 equine practices with 20 branches from the USA and 2 practices with 7 branches from Canada were evaluated. A validated text-mining technique was ...
Sedrish SA, Moore RM, Kelly K, Martin GS, Burba DJ.To determine and compare the in vitro pullout strength of 5.5-mm cortical versus 6.5-mm cancellous bone screws inserted in the diaphysis and metaphysis of adult equine third metacarpal (MCIII) bones, in threaded 4.5-mm cortical bone screw insertion holes that were then overdrilled with a 4.5-mm drill bit to provide information relevant to the selection of a replacement screw if a 4.5-mm cortical screw is stripped. Methods: In vitro pullout tests of 5.5-mm cortical and 6.5-mm cancellous screws in equine MCIII bones. Methods: Two independent cadaver studies each consisting of 14 adult equine MCI...
Latorre CAS, de Souza AF, Ramos PAR, Nóbrega FS, van de Graaf GMM, Pereira CAM, Ferrigno CRA, Hendrickson DA, De Zoppa ALDV.The objective of this study was to compare the biomechanical properties in a single cycle axial loading test and the types of failures in two constructs (a 3-hole 4.5-mm dynamic compression plate (DCP) and 7-hole 5.5-mm Y locking compression plate (Y-LCP)) in equine proximal interphalangeal joint (PIJ) arthrodesis. One limb in each pair was randomly assigned to PIJ arthrodesis using a 3-hole 4.5-mm DCP combined with two transarticular 5.5-mm cortical screws, whereas the contralateral limb was submitted to PIJ arthrodesis using a 7-hole Y-shaped 5.0-mm LCP in conjunction with one transarticular...
Wang Y, Chen Y, Wei Y.Clinical therapeutics for the regeneration of osteochondral defects (OCD) in the early stages of osteoarthritis remain an enormous challenge in orthopaedics. For in-depth studies of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in terms of OCD treatment, the utility of an optimal OCD animal model is crucial for assessing the effects of implanted biomaterials on the repair of damaged osteochondral tissues. Currently, the most frequently used in vivo animal models for OCD regeneration include mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, pigs, goats, sheep, horses and nonhuman primates. However, there is no single ...
Rocconi RA, Carmalt JL, Sampson SN, Elder SH, Gilbert EE.This study compared in vitro monotonic and cyclic mechanical properties of equine proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodeses stabilized using an open or closed technique combined with axial 4.5 mm narrow limited-contact dynamic compression plate (LC-DCP) or 4.5 mm narrow locking compression plate (LCP). Ten forelimb pairs were randomly assigned to LCP or LC-DCP groups. One limb in each pair was assigned to either open or closed technique. Limbs were tested for cyclic fatigue at 20 000 cycles and then single-cycle to failure under 3-point dorsopalmar bending. There was no significant difference...
Janicek JC, Carson WL, Wilson DA.The purpose of this investigation was to design and verify the capabilities of an in vitro loading-measurement system that mimics in vivo unconstrained three dimensional (3D) relative motion between long bone ends, applies uniform load components over the entire length of a test specimen, and measures 3D relative motion between test segment ends to directly determine test segment construct stiffness free of errors due to potting-fixture-test machine finite stiffness.Intact equine cadaveric radius bones, which were subsequently osteotomized/ostectomized and instrumented with bone plates were su...
Boorman S, Rodgerson DH.To report the outcome of foals treated for metacarpophalangeal varus deformity with a single-incision drilling technique for hemiepiphysiodesis of the distal lateral metacarpal physis. Methods: Retrospective case-control cohort study. Methods: Thoroughbred foals (n = 207), 171 age- and sex-matched maternal siblings. Methods: Medical records (2017-2020) were reviewed for signalment, limb(s) treated, location of the surgery, and any reported complications. Follow-up radiographs obtained for the yearling sale were assessed for abnormalities. Horses were matched to maternal siblings using an onl...
Peham C, Licka T, Girtler D, Scheidl M.The aim of this study was to compare supporting forelimb lameness determined by a motion analysis system with the subjective grading of a trained equine orthopaedic surgeon. Trotting on a treadmill, 29 individuals with a supporting forelimb lameness were measured with the SELSPOT II system and judged by the clinician. The vertical motion of the head was measured, analysed using Fourier transform, and the percentages of symmetry determined. The veterinarian evaluated the lameness and graded it according to a clinical routine. Veterinarian and system for motion analysis assigned the lameness to ...
Thomas KL, Carmalt JL, Burnett WD, Arjmand H, Johnston JD.OBJECTIVE To compare strain at the bone-pin and cast-pin interfaces among 3 transfixation pin-cast constructs applied to equine forelimbs. ANIMALS 15 forelimbs from 15 adult horses. PROCEDURES Limbs were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 constructs. Centrally threaded positive-profile pins were used for all constructs, and the most distal pin was placed just proximal to the epicondyles of the third metacarpal bone. Construct 1 consisted of two 6.3-mm-diameter pins spaced 4 cm apart at 30° to each other. Construct 2 was the same as construct 1 except the pins were placed 5 cm apart. Construct 3 cons...
Shiroma JT, Engel HN, Wagner PC, Watrous BJ.In horses, dorsal subluxation of the proximal interphalangeal joint in the pelvic limb, which realigned when weight was applied to the limb, improved following surgery. Improvement was observed, if not immediately, at least within two weeks after treatment. The severity and duration of the condition appear to be important considerations in predicting the time necessary for resolution of the condition following surgery. Treatment consisted of surgical resection of a small segment of the medial head of the deep digital flexor tendon in the pelvic limb. The section removed was positioned distal t...
Veraa S, de Graaf K, Wijnberg ID, Back W, Vernooij H, Nielen M, Belt AJM.Variation in equine caudal cervical spine morphology at C6 and C7 has high prevalence in Warmblood horses and is suspected to be associated with pain in a large mixed-breed group of horses. At present no data exist on the relationship between radiographic phenotype and clinical presentation in Warmblood horses in a case-control study. Objective: To establish the frequency of radiographically visible morphologic variation in a large group of Warmblood horses with clinical signs and compare this with a group without clinical signs. We hypothesised that occurrence of morphologic variation in the ...
Keller SA, Valet S, Martens A, Weisse B, Fürst AE, Kümmerle JM. The aim of this study was to evaluate cyclic fatigue behaviour of a new pin with a thread run-out design in comparison with three other types of pins commonly used for equine transfixation pin casting. Methods: Twenty-four pairs of equine cadaveric third metacarpal bones (MC3) equipped with one transfixation pin placed horizontally in the distal metaphysis were tested using a simplified model, mimicking the biomechanical situation of equine transfixation pin casting. A 6.3/8.0-mm Imex Duraface pin with thread run-out design (ITROP) was compared with a 6.1-mm smooth Steinmann pin (SSP), a...
