Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Suspensory Branch Desmitis in a Horse: Ultrasonography, Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Gross Postmortem Findings.
- Journal:
- Journal of equine veterinary science
- Year:
- 2019
- Authors:
- Elemmawy, Yahya M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Surgery
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This case involves a 10-year-old draught horse that had a long-term injury to a part of its suspensory ligament, which is a common issue in horses. The horse had been limping badly on its left hind leg for eight months, and there was noticeable swelling and pain from its hock to its hoof. Various imaging tests, including ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI, showed that the ligament was enlarged and had signs of scarring and adhesions, which are bands of tissue that can form after an injury. The findings from these imaging tests were confirmed during a postmortem examination. Overall, the study highlights that CT and MRI are helpful tools for diagnosing serious issues related to this type of ligament injury.
Abstract
Injury of suspensory ligament (SL) branch is a frequently diagnosed problem in horses of different ages and disciplines. This case reports for the first time the ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in a 10-year-old draught horse with traumatic chronic SL branch desmitis of 8 months duration. The horse had a grade 3 of 5 left hindlimb lameness with a moderately hot, painful, and diffuse swelling from the tarsus till the hoof. Ultrasonography, both SL branches appeared as enlarged hyperechogenic structures with poor demarcation of their margins and massive periligamentous echogenic materials consistent with fibrosis. Computed tomography showed no osseous lesions but did show enlarged, hypodense, and heterogeneous SL branches with an evidence of periligamentar and peritendenious adhesions and air entrapment areas intermingled within fibrous adhesion. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed no abnormal signal intensity received from the proximal part of SL and its body. There were high and intermediate signal intensities received from inflammatory fluid and periligamentar fibrous adhesions, respectively, around SL branches. Both CT and MRI findings were confirmed by gross postmortem examination. In conclusion, CT and MRI are valuable tools for diagnosis of extensive adhesions associated with chronic SL branch desmitis.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31443833/