Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Traumatic patella fractures in the horse.
- Journal:
- Equine veterinary journal
- Year:
- 1983
- Authors:
- Dik, K J & Nemeth, F
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study looked at six horses that had fractures of the kneecap (patella). Three of these horses had a specific type of fracture called an avulsion fracture, which was best diagnosed using a special X-ray view. One of these horses healed after three months of rest, although the fracture could still be seen on X-rays. Another horse with a more complicated fracture took five months to recover. Unfortunately, one horse with a contaminated fracture was euthanized, and the outcome for the last horse, which had a small chip fracture, is not known. Overall, the treatments had mixed results, with some horses recovering while others did not.
Abstract
Six cases of patella fractures are reported. Three horses presented an avulsion fracture of the medial patellar angle. For a precise diagnosis of this fracture a radiographic skyline view was indispensable; lateral views were not diagnostic. One of these horses recovered after three months' rest but radiographically the fracture remained visible. One horse with a comminuted fracture recovered after five months' rest. A case with a contaminated longitudinal patella fracture was destroyed. The sixth horse had a chip fracture of the dorsomedial part of the patella. The outcome of this case is unknown.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6884313/