Lateral patellar luxation in miniature horses.

This study outlines a surgical treatment of bilateral lateral patellar luxation, a knee joint condition, in four miniature horses and tracks their recovery process, noting improvements in mobility and few recurrences.

Research Context and Purpose

• The research focuses on lateral patellar luxation in miniature horses, a condition where the patella, or kneecap, is dislocated from its normal position.
• The study aims to detail a surgical procedure designed to correct bilateral luxation of the patella and to track the horses’ recovery over time.

Procedure and Participants

• The subjects of the study were four Miniature Horses suffering from grade 3 to 4 lateral patellar luxation bilaterally. This suggests the horses were experiencing severe displacement of the kneecaps on both sides.
• The miniature horses had difficulty walking pre-surgery, and radiographs revealed trochlear ridge hypoplasia, which is underdevelopment or incomplete development of the trochlear ridge – part of the bones in the knee joint.
• The treatment applied was a surgical procedure involving lateral release incision and medial imbrication of the parapatellar fascia to the tendon of the sartorius muscle. This procedure aims to correct the patellar luxation and restore proper knee joint function.

Follow-up and Outcomes

• Follow-up information collected ranged from 11 months to 4 years after the surgery was performed. This allows the researchers to track the long-term effects of the surgery and the recovery of the horses.
• Results indicate that the surgical treatment proved beneficial. Three out of the four horses had no recurrence of patellar luxation or lameness – issues with their gaits – signaling successful recovery.
• The remaining horse had a normal right stifle (the area where the patella is located), but experienced recurrence of grade 3 patellar luxation on the left side. This indicates that the surgery was not fully successful for this particular horse.

Conclusions

• The research provides evidence that the surgical method detailed can be effective in treating lateral patellar luxation in miniature horses. The procedure was able to improve the mobility issues the horses were initially experiencing and prevent recurrence in most cases.
• This study underscores the importance of the chosen surgical procedure for the welfare and health of Miniature Horses suffering from this condition. However, it also highlights that the treatment may not be successful in all cases, pointing towards a need for further studies or potential revision of the surgical method for some horses.