Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse with a fractured ankle - treatment options explained
By Lindsay, W A et al.·Published in Equine veterinary journal·1982·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Management of slab fractures of the third tarsal bone in 5 horses.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study looked at five racehorses with fractures in a specific bone in their hocks called the third tarsal bone. Two of these horses had surgery using a special screw to fix the fracture, and both were able to return to racing after healing. The other three horses were treated without surgery, but they took much longer to heal and developed extra bone growth, which kept them from going back to training because they were still limping. In the end, the surgical treatment was successful, while the conservative treatment did not work well.
Abstract
Five cases of fracture of the third tarsal bone in racehorses are reported. A method of surgical correction employing a cortical bone screw is described in 2 cases. Healing of the fractures was followed radiographically. Surgical repair permitted both horses to return to competition. The 3 cases treated conservatively suffered a prolonged healing time and excessive new bone formation. They were unable to return to training due to persistent lameness.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7084179/