Traumatic fractures of the equine hock: A report of 13 cases

Abstract

Summary The clinical features, radiographic findings, management and outcome in 13 cases of traumatic fracture of the hock joint are reported. The principal fracture sites were the distal tibial malleoli (5 cases), the fibular tarsal bone (4 cases), the tibial tarsal bone (3 cases) and the proximal end of metatarsal IV (one case). An additional small chip fracture of the central tarsal was noted in 2 cases. Three horses were destroyed immediately after diagnosis, 2 failed to recover following surgical intervention and one remained lame and was destroyed after 3 months' rest. Seven horses recovered completely and returned to work following periods of rest ranging from 3 to 9 months. The fracture involved the lateral or medial malleolus in 5 of these cases and the fibular tarsal in the other 2. Résumé On décrit les aspects cliniques, radiographiques l'approche médicale et le devenir de 13 cas de fractures traumatiques du jarret. Les localisations principales des fractures étaient les malléoles tibiales distales (5 cas), le calcaneum (4 cas), l'ostragale (3 cas) et l'extrémité proximate du métatarsien externe (1 cas). En outre, des petites fractures fragmentaires de l'os scaphoide furent observées dans 2 cas. Trois chevaux furent supprimés immédiatement. Deux ne purent être récupérés après intervention chirurgicale et un troisième resté boiteux fut abattu après un repos de 3 mois. Sept chevaux guérirent complétement et furent remis au travail au terme d'un repos de 3 à 9 mois. Il s'est alors agi de fractures malleolaires tibiales dans 5 cas et de fráctures de l'ostragale dans deux cas. Zusammenfassung Das klinische Bild, die Röntgenbefunde, die Plege und das Ergebnis von 13 Fällen traumatischer Sprunggelenksfrakturen werden beschrieben. Die wichtigsten Bruchstellen fanden sich im Malleolus tibiae (5 Pferde), im Calcaneus (4), im Talus (3) und im proximalen Ende des Metatarsus IV (1). Bei zwei Fällen wurde dazu noch eine kleine Absprengfraktur am os tarsi centrale festgestellt. Drei Pferde wurden unmittelbar nach der Diagnosestellung getötet, zwei erholten sich nicht nach dem operativen Eingriff, ein Tier blieb weiterhin lahm und wurde nach drei Monaten Ruhestellung wieder in Arbeit genommen. Die Brüche befanden sich am lateralen order medialen Malleolus tibiae bei 5 Pferden und am Calcaneus bei den anderen beiden Tieren.

Osteomyelitis of the sustentaculum tali in horses: 10 cases (1992–1998)

“…Results of this study were better than those reported in previous studies 2, 10 and in contrast to those of reports [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] in which horses with osteomyelitis of the ST were considered to have a good to fair chance of surviving but only a fair to poor chance of returning to their previous use. Six of the 10 horses in this study returned to their previous use, and 1 additional horse was sound but was retired for unrelated reasons.…”

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T he sustentaculum tali (ST) is the enlargement of the distal aspect of the medial surface of the calcaneus and forms a groove for passage of the tendon of the lateral digital flexor (LDF) muscle. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Typical clinical abnormalities in affected horses include swelling of the soft tissues of the tarsus, severe lameness, distension of the tarsal sheath, and effusion of the tarsocrural joint. 2 The LDF tendon is enveloped by the tarsal sheath, which extends 12 to 16 cm proximal and 4 to 6 cm distal to the tarsocrural joint, ending in the proximal third of the metatarsus.

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Desmitis of the medial tarsal collateral ligament in 7 horses

“…Tarsal collateral injuries have been identified solely affecting the ligament and have also been reported in combination with enthesophytes at the origin or insertion (Jakovljevic et al . 1982; Phillips 1986; Boero et al .…”

Surgical repair of fractures of the lateral and medial tibial malleoli in a yearling Arabian filly

“…Fractures of the lateral or medial malleoli of the distal aspect of the tibia occur infrequently but are the most commonly reported types of fractures involving the tarsocrural (TC) joint (Jakovljevic et al . 1982).…”

“…1982). They are acute, traumatic injuries that are usually the result of a fall or a kick; subsequently horses typically manifest severe lameness, marked TC effusion and soft tissue swelling of the affected side (Jakovljevic et al . 1982; Wright 1992; O'Neill and Bladon 2010; Smith and Wright 2011).…”