A clinical evaluation of a headless, titanium, variable-pitched, tapered, compression screw for repair of nondisplaced lateral condylar fractures in thoroughbred racehorses.

The research article evaluates the clinical use of a specific type of compression screw for the repair of certain types of fractures in thoroughbred racehorses. Through a retrospective case study, fifteen of sixteen horses treated with these screws returned to training, implying that the screw may be a viable repair option for these fractures.

Research Methodology

• The study is a retrospective case study, where data was gathered from medical records of thoroughbred racehorses from 1999 to 2004.
• The focus of the study was horses with nondisplaced lateral condylar fractures of the MC/MT3, where MC/MT3 stands for Metacarpal/Metatarsal bone, typically involving the weight bearing bones of the horse.
• The study considered several pre-operative factors such as patient age, gender, limb that was affected, timing and circumstances of injury, and characteristics of the fracture. The researchers also looked at the number of races the horse had taken part in prior to the injury and the earnings from these races.
• Post-operation information was also recorded, including surgical complications, surgery time, subsequent race participations, and post-operative earnings.

Results of the Research

• A total of 16 horses with the defined type of fractures were treated with Acutrak Equine (AE) screws. A majority of the fractures prevalent were in the left front limb, followed by left hind, and right front.
• Nine of these injuries took place during training sessions, while seven occurred while racing.
• No surgical complications were reported post-surgery, indicating that the use of AE screws in such cases could be safe.
• Of the 15 horses that managed to return to training, eleven were able to compete in races approximately a year after injury. This suggests that the use of AE screws did not significantly hinder the performance of the horses even after such an injury.
• Interestingly, the average earnings of the horses post-injury were mildly higher than pre-injury.
• In all of the cases, screw removal was not required, indicating no complications related to the screws themselves.

Conclusions from the Research

• The results indicated that AE screws can be a viable option for repair of nondisplaced lateral condylar MC/MT3 fractures in Thoroughbred racehorses.
• The study also suggested that with the use of these screws, adequate stability of nondisplaced lateral condylar fractures could be achieved. This is while avoiding any disturbance with the collateral ligaments and joint capsule of the fetlock joint, which are crucial for the horse’s mobility and performance.