Impingement of the dorsal spinous processes in two hundred and fifteen horses: case selection, surgical technique and results.
Abstract: The surgical treatment of impingement of dorsal spinous processes (DSPs) at 2 equine veterinary hospitals following a similar diagnostic and surgical protocol is described with special reference to the diagnosis and case selection. The diagnosis was made from clinical examination and results of radiography and diagnostic analgesia of the affected sites. Scintigraphy was also used as an aid to diagnosis at one hospital. Surgical treatment was generally recommended when conservative treatment, which included 3-9 months rest, intralesional corticosteroids and physiotherapy, had failed. The DSPs were approached through a midline incision in the skin and supraspinous ligament. They were resected using an oscillating saw. Postoperatively, horses were returned to lungeing work after 2 weeks and riding commenced at 3 months, in most cases, and by 6 months in all successful cases. From one to 6 DSPs between thoracic vertebra (T) 11 and lumbar vertebra (L) 3 were resected in individual horses. T15, 16 and 17 were the spines most commonly treated. Long-term follow-up information was obtained in 209 horses. Seventy-two percent of these horses returned to full work and a further 9% improved sufficiently to be used for some athletic work.
Publication Date: 2002-01-31 PubMed ID: 11817548DOI: 10.2746/042516402776181259Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research article discusses the surgical treatment of a spinal condition in horses, specifically the impingement of dorsal spinous processes, highlighting the diagnostic measures, surgical procedures, aftercare, and treatment outcomes.
Diagnosis and Case Selection
- In the study, the diagnosis process involved a thorough clinical examination, the use of radiography, and administering diagnostic analgesia to identify the affected areas. Scintigraphy, a diagnostic technique that uses radioactive substances to generate 2-D images, was also used in one of the facilities.
- The authors focus on cases where conservative treatment methods were not successful. These methods include giving the horse rest for durations ranging from three to nine months, administering intralesional corticosteroids, and using physiotherapy.
Surgical Treatment
- Upon determining that a surgical intervention is required, the surgeons would make a midline incision in the horse’s skin and supraspinous ligament to access the problematic dorsal spinous processes (DSPs).
- The DSPs are then resected or cut out using an oscillating saw. The number of DSPs resected varied among the horses in the study, ranging from one to six between the thoracic vertebra (T11) and the lumbar vertebra (L3).
- The most commonly treated dorsal spines were T15, 16, and 17.
Postoperative Care and Outcomes
- Post surgery, horses would typically resume lungeing work after a fortnight. Riding would begin three months after the surgery in most cases, or by six months for all successful treatments.
- Long-term follow-up of 209 horses showed positive outcomes: 72% of the horses returned to full work capacity, while an additional 9% improved sufficiently to perform some athletic work.
Cite This Article
APA
Walmsley JP, Pettersson H, Winberg F, McEvoy F.
(2002).
Impingement of the dorsal spinous processes in two hundred and fifteen horses: case selection, surgical technique and results.
Equine Vet J, 34(1), 23-28.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516402776181259 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- The Liphook Equine Hospital, Hampshire, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Analgesia / veterinary
- Anesthetics, Local
- Animals
- Back Pain / diagnosis
- Back Pain / therapy
- Back Pain / veterinary
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Lumbar Vertebrae / surgery
- Male
- Rest
- Retrospective Studies
- Spinal Diseases / diagnosis
- Spinal Diseases / surgery
- Spinal Diseases / therapy
- Spinal Diseases / veterinary
- Thoracic Vertebrae / surgery
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 16 times.- Pilati N, Pressanto MC, Palumbo Piccionello A, De Angelis Corvi F, Beccati F. Impinging and Overriding Spinous Processes in Horses: A Narrative Review. Animals (Basel) 2025 Sep 13;15(18).
- Medina-Bautista F, Nocera I, Sánchez de Medina A, Di Franco C, Briganti A, Morgaz J, Granados MDM. An Ultrasound-Guided Thoracolumbar Erector Spinae Plane Block: An Experimental Preliminary Study in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2025 Aug 1;15(15).
- Tress D, Hennessy S, Merle R, Jensen KC, Lischer C, Ehrle A. Analysis of different techniques for injection of the interspinal space in horses. Equine Vet J 2026 Jan;58(1):256-267.
- Shokry M, Ali LB, El-Sharkawy M. Relationship between back pain and poor performance in show jumping athletic horses. Open Vet J 2025 Mar;15(3):1480-1487.
- Connaughton MT, MacDonald EJ, Ireland JL, Rocchigiani G, Stack JD. Experimental comparison of caudal wedge ostectomy to cranial wedge ostectomy for surgical treatment of overriding/impinging spinous processes in horses. Equine Vet J 2025 Sep;57(5):1395-1404.
- de Secondi C, Cantatore F, Marcatili M, Biggi M, Withers J, de Zani D, Zani D. Spondylosis in Horses: Clinical Features, Diagnostic Imaging Findings, Treatment and Outcome in 13 Horses. Vet Med Sci 2025 Mar;11(2):e70196.
- Wickstead FA, Milner PI, Bardell DA. Use of wound infusion catheters for delivery of local anesthetic following standing partial ostectomy of thoracolumbar vertebral spinous processes in horses is not associated with increased surgical site infections. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1436308.
- Baudisch N, Singer E, Jensen KC, Eichler F, Meyer HJ, Lischer C, Ehrle A. Influence of surgical intervention at the level of the dorsal spinous processes on the biomechanics of the equine thoracolumbar spine. Equine Vet J 2025 Mar;57(2):492-501.
- Marshall-Gibson ME, Durham MG, Seabaugh KA, Moorman VJ, Ferris DJ. Survey of equine veterinarians regarding primary equine back pain in the United States. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1224605.
- Zielińska P, Soroko-Dubrovina M, Dudek K, Ruzhanova-Gospodinova IS. A Preliminary Study of the Influence of High Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT) on Skin Surface Temperature and Longissimus Dorsi Muscle Tone Changes in Thoroughbred Racehorses with Back Pain. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 22;13(5).
- Li Y, Zhang C, Taylor WTT, Chen L, Flad RK, Boivin N, Liu H, You Y, Wang J, Ren M, Xi T, Han Y, Wen R, Ma J. Early evidence for mounted horseback riding in northwest China. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020 Nov 24;117(47):29569-29576.
- Pigé C, Masseau I, Bonilla AG. Influence of abdominal elevation on radiographic measurements of the thoracolumbar interspinous spaces in asymptomatic horses. Can Vet J 2020 Oct;61(10):1101-1105.
- Tabor G, Nankervis K, Fernandes J, Williams J. Generation of Domains for the Equine Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Outcome Score: Development by Expert Consensus. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jan 25;10(2).
- Mayaki AM, Intan-Shameha AR, Noraniza MA, Mazlina M, Adamu L, Abdullah R. Clinical investigation of back disorders in horses: A retrospective study (2002-2017). Vet World 2019;12(3):377-381.
- Riccio B, Fraschetto C, Villanueva J, Cantatore F, Bertuglia A. Two Multicenter Surveys on Equine Back-Pain 10 Years a Part. Front Vet Sci 2018;5:195.
- Gutierrez-Quintana R, Lindley S, Sullivan M, Penderis J, Wessmann A. Dorsal spinous process impingement syndrome ('kissing spine') in a cat: imaging appearance and surgical management. J Feline Med Surg 2011 Aug;13(8):618-21.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
