Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ventral approach for stabilization of atlantoaxial subluxation secondary to odontoid fracture in a foal.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1984
- Authors:
- McCoy, D J et al.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 30-day-old foal had a problem with its neck where the first two vertebrae were misaligned due to a fracture in a bone called the odontoid. To fix this, veterinarians used a surgical method to align the joint and placed two special plates to keep it stable. Three months after the surgery, X-rays showed that the fracture was healing well and the foal was only slightly weak in its legs. A year later, the foal was walking normally again. This surgical approach seems to be better than other methods for stabilizing this type of injury, although there is a risk of complications like laryngeal paralysis (a problem with the voice box).
Abstract
Atlantoaxial subluxation secondary to odontoid fracture in a 30-day-old foal was corrected by alignment of the atlantoaxial joint and stabilization with 2 ventrally placed dynamic compression plates. At 90 days after surgery, healing of the fracture, with adequate alignment of the atlantoaxial joint, was confirmed radiographically. The foal was only slightly tetraparetic at that time. At 1 year after surgery, the gait was normal. It was concluded that the technique has advantages over the use of Steinmann's pins or external coaptation for stabilization. The ventral approach allows decompression, anatomic alignment, and immediate stabilization of the subluxation. Potential complications of the ventral approach include laryngeal paralysis.
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: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6480474/