Surgical management of proximal splint bone fractures in the horse.

This research studies the effects of two different surgical solutions for fractures of the splint bone in horses, concluding that a plate fixation technique may be the better solution.

Methodology

• The study observed 283 horses with Metacarpal and Metatarsal II and IV (the splint bones) fractures over an 11 year span.
• 21 of these cases were addressed by stabilizing the proximal portion (nearest the center of the body) of the fractured bone with metallic implants.
• Two kinds of metallic implants were used: cortical bone screws in 11 horses, and bone plates in 11 horses. One horse received both treatments.

Findings for Screw Fixation

• Multiple complications were observed with screw fixation. These included bone failure, implant failure, radiographic blurriness around the screws, and the growth of new bone at the ostectomy (bone cutting) site.
• Of all the horses treated with screw fixation, only two resumed their original purpose post-treatment.

Findings for Plate Fixation

• Several issues were identified with plate fixation as well, such as partial fixture failure (screws backing out), wound leakage, and excessive bone growth around the plate.
• However, a higher success rate was achieved with plate fixation; six out of the 11 horses returned to their previous function after the procedure.

Final Recommendations

• Given their results, the authors suggest considering plate fixation techniques as the preferred method to repair fractures in the proximal third of the splint bone.
• This recommendation arose because the study found that the plate fixation resulted in a higher number of horses returning to intended use when compared to screw fixation.