Surgical repair of rib fractures in 14 neonatal foals: case selection, surgical technique and results.

This study examines the effectiveness of surgical methods in treating rib fractures in newborn Thoroughbred foals, aiming to reduce mortality rates. The techniques evaluated involve internal fixation methods performed at two equine hospitals.

Research Methodology

• The researchers retrospectively reviewed records of 14 neonatal foals who underwent surgical repair for rib fractures.
• Information gathered includes the details of the subjects, their clinical presentation, diagnostic procedures, surgical techniques used, postoperative care, and any complications that occurred.
• Follow-up data were also collected for seven of the foals included in the study.

Surgical Techniques and Results

• The study reports on three different internal fixation techniques used to repair the rib fractures: reconstruction plates, self-tapping cortical screws, and cerclage wire; Steinmann pins and cerclage wire; or a combination of both techniques. The choice of technique varied for each case.
• Not all fractured ribs were treated in each case, with surgical reduction performed on an average of two ribs, ranging from one to three ribs per foal.
• The outcomes of the treatment were mixed. At the publication time of the study, four of the foals had been sold, one (aged two years) was in training, and two others had died from unrelated causes.

Conclusions

• The results provide support for the use of surgical stabilisation techniques involving reconstruction plates, self-tapping cortical screws, and cerclage wire for selected cases of neonatal foals with thoracic trauma.
• However, the use of Steinmann pins may not be as reliable due to cyclic failure, implant migration, and the possibility of causing additional internal thoracic trauma.
• In conclusion, the research suggests that internal fixation of selected fracture sites can successfully manage neonatal foals with severe internal thoracic trauma from rib fractures, a condition that was previously associated with a guarded to poor survival prognosis.