Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse with severe neck pain and unsteady walk - new 3D-printed spacer
By Vercherin, Anouk et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2025·Equine Clinic of Grosbois, France·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: 3D-printed titanium cervical integrated spacer for C6-C7 fusion in a horse with discospondylitis.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old horse was brought in for severe gait problems that had been worsening for 14 months. After tests showed he had a serious spinal infection (discospondylitis) causing compression of the spinal cord, the vet performed surgery to stabilize the affected area using a special 3D-printed titanium spacer. Sixteen months later, follow-up X-rays showed that the implant was stable and the horse had improved significantly, with no noticeable ataxia (loss of coordination) and only mild issues with his front legs.
People also search for: horse gait problems · discospondylitis treatment in horses · 3D-printed implants for horse surgery
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe a distraction-stabilization technique using a three dimensional (3D)-printed titanium cervical integrated spacer (CIS) in a horse with a C6-C7 severe discospondylitis. ANIMAL: A 4-year-old 540 kg Sächsisch-Thüringisches Schweres Warmblut gelding. STUDY DESIGN: Single case report. METHODS: A 4-year-old Schweres Warmblut gelding with a 14-month history of gait abnormalities, progressing to grade 3/5 ataxia on the Mayhew scale, was diagnosed via radiography and computed tomography with severe discospondylitis and significant spinal cord compression at C6-C7. A surgical arthrodesis was elected. Under radiographic control, a CIS was placed using a 3D-printed instrument set. RESULTS: At 16 months, radiographs, confirmed implant stability, maintained vertebral alignment and successful fusion. Gait evaluation showed no overt ataxia and only mild thoracic limb dysmetria. CONCLUSION: 3D-printed CIS appears a promising implant for stabilizing equine caudal vertebrae (C6-C7).
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40600422/