Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse with neck injury - how surgery helped her recover
By Schulze, Nicole et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2019·Equine Clinic, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Internal fixation of a complete ventral luxation of the dens axis in an American quarter horse yearling.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A one-year-old American quarter horse filly was brought in for severe neck problems due to a complete dislocation of the joint between the first two neck vertebrae. After attempts to manually fix the dislocation failed, the veterinarian performed surgery to stabilize the area using a special plate and screws. The filly recovered well from the surgery and showed no signs of neck issues or mobility problems nine months later. This case highlights a successful surgical option for a serious neck injury in horses.
People also search for: horse neck injury treatment · atlantoaxial luxation in horses · horse surgery recovery time
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report surgical treatment of a complete luxation of the atlantoaxial articulation with a 4.5-mm T-locking compression plate (T-LCP) in a horse. STUDY DESIGN: Case report. ANIMALS: A one-year-old American quarter horse filly. METHODS: A one-year-old American quarter horse filly presented with a complete luxation of the atlantoaxial articulation. Closed and open reduction of the luxation were attempted under general anesthesia with the aid of a pulley system. Because the manual reduction was unsuccessful, the dens axis was excised, and the atlas and axis were stabilized with a 4.5-mm T-LCP. Four 5.5-mm cortex screws were placed across the atlantoaxial articulation in lag fashion to provide additional stability. RESULTS: The horse made an uneventful recovery from surgery and remained comfortable thereafter. Nine months postsurgery, the filly had developed normally and did not show any sign of ataxia or reduced mobility of the cranial neck. CONCLUSION: The described surgical approach resulted in the successful stabilization of a complete luxation of the atlantoaxial articulation in an American quarter horse yearling, with a favorable outcome. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Complete atlantoaxial luxation is associated with a poor prognosis for survival in horses. This is the first report of a favorable outcome after surgical stabilization. The described approach presents a valuable alternative to the manual reduction of atlantoaxial luxation in horses.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31298433/