Radiographic and Computed Tomographic Configuration of Incomplete Proximal Fractures of the Proximal Phalanx in Horses Not Used for Racing.

The research article is about the evaluation of non-racing horses’ incomplete proximal fractures using computed tomography (CT) scans and radiography, with the aim of understanding their configurations.

Study Overview

• The study focuses on characterizing incomplete proximal fractures of the Proximal Phalanx (P1) in horses not used for racing purposes.
• It uses both radiographic and Computed Tomography (CT) techniques to compare the findings.
• A sample of twenty-four horses diagnosed with incomplete fractures of P1, identified through clinical and radiographic examination and confirmed by CT, were taken for the study.

Conduct of Study

• The horses’ medical records were reviewed and the radiographs and CT studies were analyzed using a subjective grading system.
• Measurements were taken to study the variables that characterized the fracture configuration.
• The population considered for the study composed of 20 Warmblood breed horses, with a mean age of 9.5 years and a mean body weight of 574kg.
• Among the subjects, the distribution showed that 14 forelimbs and 10 hind limbs were affected.
• The average duration of lameness among the horses was around 8.7 weeks.

Observations and Findings

• It was found that CT technology was superior to conventional radiography in identifying the fracture and in determining its size and location.
• On using CT, it was revealed that about 92% of the fractures were located in the mid-sagittal plane.
• The mean proximodistal length of the fractures was found to be 13mm.
• It was observed that the fractures were mostly not bicortical, meaning they did not affect both the inner and outer layers of the bone.
• The fractures in forelimbs were located significantly more dorsally than the fractures in hind limbs.
• The research identified a distinct fracture pattern with two subchondral lines running parallel closely in about 54% of the cases examined.

Conclusion

• The research concluded that the incomplete proximal fractures of P1 in non-racing horses exhibited a wide variation in their configurations, especially in their dorsopalmar or plantar location.
• The application of CT examination provided the ability to clearly identify these fracture configurations and proved to be superior to traditional radiography.