Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ankylosis of the distal interphalangeal joint in a horse after septic arthritis and septic navicular bursitis.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1992
- Authors:
- Honnas, C M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 6-month-old Quarter Horse filly weighing 300 kg developed a serious infection in her foot after a deep puncture, leading to septic arthritis (joint infection) and septic navicular bursitis (infection in a fluid-filled sac near the joint). The initial treatment involved draining the infected area, cleaning the joint, and giving her antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications. When the infection persisted, the veterinarians packed the foot with bone to prevent further contamination, put her leg in a cast, and used a drain to help remove infected fluid. Although the joint eventually fused together (ankylosis) after 9 months, the filly still showed some lameness and had a deformity in her other leg due to looseness in a ligament.
Abstract
A 6-month-old 300-kg Quarter Horse filly was treated for septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint and septic navicular bursitis that developed as a result of a deep puncture to the foot. Initial treatment consisted of establishing ventral drainage for the navicular bursa, lavage of the distal interphalangeal joint, and administration of broad-spectrum antimicrobial drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Because of continuing sepsis in the distal interphalangeal joint, subsequent treatment included packing the defect in the bottom of the foot with cancellous bone in an attempt to prevent ascending contamination of the joint, placing the limb in a short limb cast, and inserting a Penrose drain into the joint for passive drainage of septic exudate. The goal of treatment was to encourage ankylosis of the distal interphalangeal joint. Because of the filly's persistent lameness and laxity of the lateral collateral ligament in the contralateral carpus, the palmar nerves of the affected foot were injected with a long-acting local anesthetic at the level of the proximal sesamoid bones to encourage weight-bearing. Ankylosis of the distal interphalangeal joint was complete 9 months after the puncture, but a grade-2 lameness remained and the horse had a varus deformity resulting from ligamentous laxity of the lateral collateral ligament in the contralateral carpus.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1577652/