Standing osteosynthesis of an accessory carpal bone fracture in a Warmblood mare with a 6‐hole 3.5 talonavicular fusion plate and 3.5‐mm screws

Abstract

A 9-year-old Warmblood, high-level showjumping mare sustained an acute, closed, vertical, comminuted fracture of the left accessory carpal bone (ACB) during a fall. The fracture was repaired under standing sedation and local anaesthesia, using a 6-hole APTUS® 3.5 TFP and 5 × 3.5-mm selftapping TriLock© screws. The mare recovered from surgery without complications. Upon follow-up examination 9 months post-operatively the mare was sound in all gaits and back to full athletic activity. The ACB fracture had completely healed. The displaced dorsoproximal fracture fragment was in a stationary position and there was evidence of mild nonprogressive osteoarthritis of the antebrachiocarpal joint.

Is general anaesthesia avoidable for limb fracture repair in horses?

“…The case report by Aßmann et al (2023) in this issue reported the surgical management of an accessory carpal bone fracture, repaired under standing sedation. This sets the tone for the debate between the risks and benefits of standing sedation versus general anaesthesia in horses undergoing fracture repair.…”