Surgical treatment of open splint bone fractures in 26 horses.

This research article presents a study on the surgical treatment of open fractures in the splint bones of 26 horses over a 16-year period, with the goal of examining the efficacy of various treatment methods in terms of healing and cosmetic results.

Overview of the Study

• The study was conducted over a 16-year period, capturing long-term effects and results of the treatment.
• This involve a substantial pool of subjects with 26 horses involved in the study, providing a solid base for accumulating reliable data.

Surgical Treatment Procedure

• All the horses in the study received surgical treatment of their open splint bone fractures.
• The surgery involved excision or removal of fracture fragments and sequestra, which are pieces of dead bone tissue within healthy bones, separated by the result of an injury.
• The surgery also included curettage or cleaning of infected and unhealthy tissues to promote healthier bone formation and faster recovery.

Additional Treatment Considerations

• In nine of the horses, the splint bone distal to the fracture was removed. This procedure was only conducted in cases where the attachment of the splint bone to the cannon bone, via the interosseous ligament, did not provide sufficient stability.
• In two horses, it was necessary to stabilise the proximal fragment by internal fixation, a method of physically holding the bones in a correct anatomical alignment.
• However, these two horses developed an infection post-surgery.

Outcomes and Conclusions

• One horse was euthanised on humane grounds due to complications post-surgery, implying that the surgical treatments were not always fully successful.
• However, in the remaining 25 horses, excellent results were observed in terms of cosmetic appearance and return to their previous state of health, suggesting a high rate of success for this surgical treatment approach.