Surgical treatment of fractures of the tibial tuberosity in 6 adult horses.

The research article presents a study of the surgical treatments carried out on six adult horses that had fractures in the tibial tuberosity. The results showed all operated horses eventually regained full athletic functionality.

Overview of Research

• The researchers documented the clinical and radiological details of the horses, the surgical procedures used to treat the fractures, and the outcomes of the treatments.
• The horses were received treatment between 24 hours and 8 weeks after their injuries.

Nature of the Injuries

• All six horses had fragments that were proximocranially displaced, meaning the fractured bone parts were moved towards the head and the front.
• There was additional comminution (breaking of a bone into more than two fragments) in two of these cases.

Surgical Procedures

• Open reduction and internal fixation techniques were applied in the surgical treatment of four horses. This involves the physical alignment of the broken bone fragments followed by internal fixation to hold them in place.
• The surgical instrument used here was an AO/ASIF narrow dynamic compression plate, a specifically designed plate for bone fixation. It’s made to be dynamic and adjustable according to the size and nature of the fractures.
• In the other two cases, the bone fragments that had been displaced were removed. This method is usually chosen when the fragmented bone is too small for fixation or severely damaged.

Results and Follow-Up

• All of the operated horses were able to return to their full athletic abilities, indicating successful recovery from the fracture and the surgery.
• The horses stayed healthy and sound in a follow-up period that ranged between 17 and 36 months.
• In one of the cases, the removal of the surgical implant was required. This is not uncommon and can happen due to complications such as infection, implant loosening, or after the completion of bone healing.