Apical fractures of the proximal sesamoid bones in 109 Standardbred horses.
Abstract: One-hundred and nine apical fractures of the proximal sesamoid bones were diagnosed in Standardbred racehorses at the Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital during a 5-year period ending December 1978. Lateral sesamoids of the hindlimbs accounted for 61 of the 109 fractures, which was a significantly (P less than 0.05) greater proportion than that for fractures in all other sesamoid bones. Two- and three-year-old horses accounted for 73 of the 109 apical sesamoid fractures. The remaining 36 apical sesamoid fractures were in horses 4 to 9 years old. The apical fragment was removed in 80 of the horses. Thirty-six (45%) of these had raced prior to surgery, and 40 (50%) of them raced after surgery. Surgical treatment did not significantly change the earnings, starts, or order of finish score of the horse, when average before-injury performance values were compared with average after-surgery performance values. Sixty-four percent of horses that raced before injury raced afer surgery. horses that raced before injury had significantly better (P less than 0.05) performance after surgery than those not raced prior to injury. Sixty percent of horses undergoing surgery within 30 days of injury returned to race performance, and these horses had significantly (P less than 0.05) better performance after surgery than those operated on more than 30 days after injury. Thirty-six percent of horses with suspensory desmitis raced after surgery, and their race performance was poor. Twenty-nine horses with apical fractures were treated nonsurgically. Twenty-one (69%) had raced before injury, and 10 (37%) raced after injury. The performance of the 10 was significantly poorer (P less than 0.05) when their preinjury performance was compared to their after-injury performance. There was bias in selecting patients for nonsurgical treatment.
Publication Date: 1983-07-01 PubMed ID: 6874527
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study examined 109 cases of apical fractures in the proximal sesamoid bones of Standardbred racehorses over a five-year period, focusing on surgical treatment results and the impact on the horses’ racing performance.
Study Overview
- The study took place at the Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital and covered 109 cases of apical fractures in Standardbred racehorses’ proximal sesamoid bones over a five-year period, ending in December 1978.
- Most of the fractures for this study occurred in the lateral sesamoids of the hindlimbs.
- The majority of apical sesamoid fractures occurred in two-to-three-year-old horses.
Surgical Treatment Results
- Following the diagnosis of an apical fracture, the apical fragment was surgically removed in 80 of the horses.
- 46% of the horses that had raced prior to the surgery were able to race following the surgery.
- The study found that surgical treatment did not significantly alter the horse’s earnings, race starts, or finishing score.
- Horses that had been raced prior to the injury tended to have a better performance level after surgery than those who had not been raced before injury.
Timing of Surgery & Performance Outcomes
- The study discovered an association between the timing of surgery after the injury and the horses’ postoperative performance.
- Horses that had surgery within 30 days of the injury returned to race performance, with significantly better performance than those operated more than 30 days after the injury.
- Poorer performance was observed in horses with suspensory desmitis who raced following surgery.
Nonsurgical Treatment & Performance Outcomes
- Nonsurgical treatment was employed in 29 cases.
- 21 of these horses had been raced prior to the injury, with 10 returning to race following the injury.
- A noticeable drop in the performance of these horses was noted when comparing their pre-injury to their post-injury performance levels.
- The researchers mentioned a bias in choosing patients for nonsurgical treatment.
Cite This Article
APA
Spurlock GH, Gabel AA.
(1983).
Apical fractures of the proximal sesamoid bones in 109 Standardbred horses.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 183(1), 76-79.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Fractures, Bone / physiopathology
- Fractures, Bone / surgery
- Fractures, Bone / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / physiopathology
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Prognosis
- Sesamoid Bones / injuries
- Time Factors
Citations
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