Computed tomography assisted diagnosis and treatment of a comminuted fracture of the plantar aspect of the medial trochlear ridge and the proximal tubercle of the talus in a foal

Abstract

The tarsocrural (TC) joint articulates the distal end of the tibia with the medial and lateral trochlear ridges of the talus. The proximal tubercle of the talus (PTT), on the proximal and medial aspect of the talus, has a groove through which the medial digital flexor tendon runs, which divides the PTT into a medial and plantar portion (Espinosa et al., 2013;Nixon, 2020). It is also an insertion point for a portion of the medial short collateral ligaments of the TC joint (Verwilghen et al., 2010). The TC joint is divided into distinctive compartments. Arthroscopic access to the four pouches of the TC joint is typically utilised for surgical intervention of TC joint pathology.Arthroscopic access to the plantaromedial pouch permits evaluation of the medial malleolus, the abaxial aspect of the medial trochlear ridge (MTR), the middle or deep part of the short medial collateral ligament and the long medial collateral ligament (Kummerle & Kummer, 2013).Fractures due to trauma are relatively common in foals, frequently secondary to external traumatic events. Fractures of the plantar region of the talus are infrequent in horses, and often difficult to diagnose. Though rarely reported, the most frequently identified fracture in the plantar aspect of the TC joint is fracture j5 of the PTT, and these fractures are usually extra-articular (Espinosa et al.,