Ultrasound-guided, minimally invasive, biceps brachii tenotomy in a standing horse.
Abstract: To describe the long-term outcome of a horse that underwent a standing, ultrasound-guided, minimally invasive, biceps brachii tenotomy. Methods: Case report. Methods: A 17-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse gelding. Methods: The horse had a chronic, severe, lameness localized to the left shoulder region. Diagnostic imaging revealed fractures of the intermediate and lesser tubercles of the left humerus, biceps brachii (BB) tendinopathy, and bicipital bursitis. Conservative management was attempted, but lack of improvement prompted surgical intervention. An ultrasound-guided, minimally invasive, BB tenotomy was performed under standing sedation and local anesthesia. Results: Immediately following the procedure, a substantial improvement in lameness was achieved. Further case management consisted of systemic and local pain management, physiotherapy exercises, and periodic local corticosteroid injections. At 21 months following surgery, the horse remained pasture sound. Conclusions: An ultrasound-guided, minimally invasive, approach for biceps brachii tenotomy was simple to perform and resulted in rapid improvement in lameness. There were no incisional complications and long-term pasture soundness was achieved.
© 2025 The Author(s). Veterinary Surgery published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Publication Date: 2025-09-11 PubMed ID: 40931893PubMed Central: PMC12907528DOI: 10.1111/vsu.70017Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Cite This Article
APA
Marques GF, Moorman VJ, Ellis KL, Perlini M, Edwards VL.
(2025).
Ultrasound-guided, minimally invasive, biceps brachii tenotomy in a standing horse.
Vet Surg, 55(2), 491-497.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.70017 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses / injuries
- Horses / surgery
- Tenotomy / veterinary
- Tenotomy / methods
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
- Lameness, Animal / surgery
- Lameness, Animal / diagnostic imaging
- Male
- Ultrasonography, Interventional / veterinary
- Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / veterinary
- Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / methods
- Forelimb / surgery
- Tendinopathy / surgery
- Tendinopathy / veterinary
- Treatment Outcome
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors have no conflicts of interest.
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