Treatment of a chronic comminuted fracture of the fibula in a horse.

The study reports the diagnosis and treatment of a chronic fractured fibula in a four-year-old horse, which exhibited unusual hind limb lameness. Using physical examination, radiography, and scintigraphy, a chronic fracture was identified and successfully treated with a bone graft.

Summary of Research

• The study focuses on a case of vague right hind limb lameness in a four-year-old standardbred gelding, which lasted for three to four months.
• Through physical examination, radiography, and scintigraphy, they were able to diagnose the problem as a chronic comminuted fracture of the proximal portion of the right fibula, a type of complicated fracture where the bone breaks into multiple pieces.
• It was also noted that fractures in the fibula are scarce in horses, and care should be taken not to confuse same with normal anatomic discontinuities which can present in radiographs as bi- or tripartite formations.

Treatment and Outcomes

• After diagnosis, a cancellous bone graft was used to treat the fracture. Cancellous bone, also known as spongy or trabecular bone, is typically soft and vascular and fills the inner cavity of long bones. The treatment involved inserting this type of bone into the fracture site to aid healing.
• Three months after the graft procedure, the fracture appeared to be healed as shown by radiographic imaging.

Notable Observations

• The lameness associated with fibular fractures in horses was observed to be vague due to its non-weight-bearing nature. Unlike humans, horses do not primarily rely on the fibula for weight-bearing, making it harder to easily identify lameness originating from a fibular injury.