Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse with lameness and swollen leg due to a fracture - treatment
By Drahonovska, Anna et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2025·Donnington Grove Veterinary Surgery, United Kingdom·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Standing repair of short frontal plane fractures involving the dorsoproximal articular surface of the proximal phalanx in six Thoroughbred racehorses.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Six Thoroughbred racehorses were treated for moderate lameness and swelling in their hind legs due to short fractures in the bones of their feet. The fractures were repaired while the horses were standing, using a special screw to hold the bone together. After surgery, five of the horses showed that their fractures had healed on follow-up X-rays, and they were able to race again within about 205 days. No complications were reported from the surgery, making this method a promising option for treating similar fractures in horses.
People also search for: horse lameness treatment · Thoroughbred racehorse fracture repair · standing surgery for horse fractures
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe a technique and report outcomes for internal fixation of short frontal-plane fractures involving the dorsoproximal articular surface of the proximal phalanx (P1) in standing horses. STUDY DESIGN: Short case series. ANIMALS: Six Thoroughbred racehorses with short, frontal plane fractures involving the dorsoproximal P1. METHODS: All fractures were located in the hindlimb. Horses presented with moderate lameness and marked effusion of the affected metatarsophalangeal joint. Fractures had a medial bias extending from the central aspect of proximal P1 to involve the dorsomedial prominence. Fractures were repaired under standing sedation, local anesthesia and radiographic guidance using a single 3.5 mm self-tapping cortical screw placed in lag fashion. RESULTS: Surgery was postponed by 24 h for one patient due to excessive movement during surgical preparation. The mean proximo-distal length of the radiographically apparent fracture plane was 23 mm (range: 19-28 mm). Mean time for screw placement was 13 min (range: 9-21 min). In five horses, postoperative radiographs were acquired and indicated resolution of the fracture plane. All horses raced postoperatively. The mean time from surgery to first race was 205 days (range: 144-284 days) and mean number of starts was 21 (range: 9-37). No complications were reported relating to the repair method. CONCLUSION: Standing internal fixation of short, incomplete frontal plane fractures of the proximal phalanx, using a 3.5 mm self-tapping cortical screw, is a feasible method of repair. The technique should be viewed as an advanced standing fracture repair.
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/40285436/