Conservative management of 17 horses with nonarticular fractures of the tibial tuberosity.
Abstract: Fractures of the tibial tuberosity (FTT) are caused by direct trauma, and are the second most commonly reported injury in event horses with stifle trauma. Conservative management of horses with FTT has been advocated, but results and prognosis for this method of therapy are unknown. Objective: To report and review the findings of a retrospective study of 17 horses admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital from 1986-2001 with nonarticular FTT that received conservative management. Methods: Subject details, aetiology of the accident, limb affected, degree of lameness at time of admission, size and degree of displacement of the fracture fragment, complications such as comminution of the fracture fragment or damage to soft tissue structures within the affected stifle, and treatment recommendations were obtained from medical records. Owners and trainers were contacted regarding the horse's return to athletic use. The follow-up period consisted of 11-154 months. Results: Two horses were reportedly sound, but unable to return to competition for unrelated reasons. Of the horses that completed the rehabilitation period, 12/15 (80%) returned to athletic use at the same level as before the injury. Three horses were diagnosed with damage to soft tissue supporting structures of the affected stifle and could not return to their former level of competition. Conclusions: Concurrent soft tissue damage, diagnosed at the time of the initial injury, was statistically significant in precluding horses from returning to athletic careers. All other variables were found to have no effect upon outcome. Conclusions: This retrospective study suggests that the conservative management of nonarticular FTT is a viable treatment modality in managing athletic equine patients presenting with these fractures.
Publication Date: 2003-03-18 PubMed ID: 12638799DOI: 10.2746/042516403776114261Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research paper studies the effectiveness of conservative management on horses suffering from nonarticular fractures of the tibial tuberosity, a common athletic injury, with results suggesting that this approach can yield good outcomes, although concurrent soft tissue damage affects the recovery.
Overview of the Research
- The research evaluates the effectiveness of conservative management techniques for treating nonarticular fractures of the tibial tuberosity (FTT) in horses, a common injury in athletic horses.
- The study is retrospective in nature, examining case records of 17 horses admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital between 1986 and 2001.
Study Methodology
- Various details about the horses, such as the cause of the accident, the affected limb, severity of lameness at the time of admission, degree of damage to the fracture fragment, and any related complications, were derived from medical records.
- Post-treatment information such as the horse’s return to athletic activity was obtained by contacting the horse’s owners and trainers, with a follow-up period ranging between 11 to 154 months.
Study Findings
- Two horses reportedly became sound again but didn’t return to competition due to unrelated issues.
- Most of the horses that underwent rehabilitation, 12 out of 15, were able to return to their pre-injury athletic performance level.
- Three horses suffered from damage to the soft tissue supporting parts of the stifle that was affected, and thus could not regain their former competition level.
Conclusion of the Study
- The research found that concurrent soft tissue damage, diagnosed concurrently with the initial injury, significantly affected the horse’s ability to return to its athletic career.
- All other factors observed did not noticeably influence the final outcome.
- Overall, the study concludes that conservative management of nonarticular FTT seems to be a viable treatment option for athletic equine patients suffering from these fractures.
Cite This Article
APA
Arnold CE, Schaer TP, Baird DL, Martin BB.
(2003).
Conservative management of 17 horses with nonarticular fractures of the tibial tuberosity.
Equine Vet J, 35(2), 202-206.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516403776114261 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- Fractures, Bone
- Horses / injuries
- Lameness, Animal / etiology
- Male
- Prognosis
- Rest
- Retrospective Studies
- Sports
- Tibial Fractures / therapy
- Tibial Fractures / veterinary
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Mazaheri-Khameneh R, Azizi S, Davoodi F, Gooran MM. Surgical management of a Salter-Harris type I proximal physeal fracture of the tibia in a foal: a case report. BMC Vet Res 2022 May 16;18(1):183.
- Atalaia T, Prazeres J, Abrantes J, Clayton HM. Equine Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review of the Literature. Animals (Basel) 2021 May 22;11(6).
- Martinello T, Gomiero C, Perazzi A, Iacopetti I, Gemignani F, DeBenedictis GM, Ferro S, Zuin M, Martines E, Brun P, Maccatrozzo L, Chiers K, Spaas JH, Patruno M. Allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells improve the wound healing process of sheep skin. BMC Vet Res 2018 Jun 25;14(1):202.
- Schroeder OE, Aceto HW, Boyle AG. A field study of kick injuries to the radius and tibia in 51 horses (2000-2010). Can Vet J 2013 Mar;54(3):271-5.
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