Comminuted fracture of the distal sesamoid bone and distal rupture of the deep digital flexor tendon.

This article reports the case of a severely lame 10-year-old show jumper horse, which, upon radiographic and ultrasonographic examination, was found to have a fractured distal sesamoid bone and ruptured deep digital flexor tendon in its right foreleg. The article discusses potential causes, including prior corticosteroid treatments and bone degeneration.

Introduction and Case Presentation

• The subject of the article is a 10-year-old show jumping horse that began to display an extreme lameness in its right foreleg.
• During weight bearing conditions, the horse’s toe of the affected limb twisted dorsally which led to the hypothesis of a rupture of the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT).
• The researchers used radiographic examination to further investigate the severity of the leg issue, revealing a severe condition of erosion on the flexor surface and a parasagittal fracture on the distal sesamoid bone of the hoof.

Diagnosis and Confirmation

• The ultrasonographic examination was conducted and confirmed the initial ruptured DDFT hypothesis.
• The results of the radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations were further verified through a post-mortem examination of the horse. It confirmed the existence of both a DDFT rupture and a fracture in the distal sesamoid bone.

Potential Causes and Discussion

• The study also explores the role of corticosteroid injections, which the horse had received multiple times as treatment into the podotrochlear bursa, may have had in causing the DDFT rupture.
• Researchers considered a potential association between degenerative distal sesamoid bone, distal sesamoid bone fracture, and a ruptured DDFT.
• The purpose of the discussion regarding these causal factors is to contribute to a better understanding of similar veterinary challenges and to enhance decision making in the treatment of other horses.