A surgical approach to the ramus of the mandible in cattle and horses. Case reports of a bull and a horse.

This research is an exploration of a developed surgical approach to treat the mandible (jawbone) in cattle and horses. Its efficiency is demonstrated through case studies on a bull and a horse, wherein they both showed excellent functional and cosmetic results two years post-surgery.

Objective of the Research

• The main focus of this research was to develop and evaluate a surgical method designed specifically for treating fractures in the ramus, i.e. the vertical part of the jawbone, found in cattle and horses.

Methodology

• To access the fracture site, a subperiosteal elevation of the masseter muscle (a jaw muscle) from the ramus was performed. This process involves carefully separating the muscle from the bone without damaging the periosteum, a membrane covering the outer surface of the bone.
• Once the fracture was accessible, reduction and plate fixation was carried out. Reduction refers to the rearrangement of the bone fragments into their natural position while plate fixation involves attaching a metal plate to the bone to hold the fragments together and provide support during the healing process.

Results

• Follow-up examinations were conducted two years after surgery to evaluate the long-term results. The surgical approach led to excellent outcomes in the cases of both a bull and a horse; the function of their mandibles was restored, and there were no unwanted cosmetic effects.

Significance

• This research paves the way for better treatment of mandibular fractures in large animals. As the developed approach demonstrated desired functional and cosmetic results, it can be adopted for similar cases to treat the affected animals effectively.

Limitations and Future Research

• However, the study is limited by the number of cases it presents – a larger sample size would increase confidence in the method’s efficacy.
• Future research could also investigate potential improvements to the procedure, test its suitability for other species and determine the range of fracture types for which it is effective.