Search

Summary A 15‐year‐old Warmblood gelding was presented with recurrence of a histologically confirmed osteosarcoma of the left second and third metacarpal bones 3 years after initial diagnosis and treatment. Initially, surgical excision was performed, followed by local injection of carboplatin 11 weeks later. The horse was sound after surgery and was used for low‐level dressage and jumping. Three years later, the horse developed an acute onset of lameness in the left forelimb and a painful soft tissue swelling at the proximomedial metacarpal region. Radiographs showed a spiculated periosteal reaction on the medial aspect of the third metacarpal bone, indicating re‐activation of the lesion. Stereotactic radiation therapy was performed with a protocol consisting of three fractions under general anaesthesia (Mo‐We‐Fr schedule), and a total dose of 30 Gy. The technique used was volumetric‐modulated arc therapy guided by cone beam computed tomography for daily positioning. Following the radiation therapy, the horse became sound at walk, and 1 month later, it became sound at trot. Follow‐up by veterinary examination 18 months after final treatment revealed no lameness at walk and trot, and a stable radiographic appearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdschrift is the property of Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Summary: A horse with an open medial luxation of the left metatarsophalangeal joint with extensive cartilage and soft tissue damage and severe contamination of the wound was treated with a two‐stage approach. In the first stage, the lesion was cleaned, the luxation was reduced, the wound was sutured and the limb was kept in a cast for a total time of 56 days. In the second stage, an arthrodesis of the affected joint was carried out, using a 13‐hole broad 4.5 LCP plate. The limb was then kept in a cast for an additional total time of 56 days. At 70 days after the arthrodesis, the horse was brought in for a final check‐up, and only a mechanical lameness remained at that time. No significant complications occurred. Previous case reports on the treatment of metatarso‐/metacarpophalangeal luxations include neither cases as severe as the one presented here nor treatment by fetlock arthrodesis. This case illustrates that horses with a complicated, open luxation of the fetlock can be salvaged for breeding purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Palmar digital neurectomy (PDN) is used in horses for treating chronic foot pain refractory to other treatments and is most often performed using the guillotine technique or the pull‐through technique. This study was performed to compare the outcome of the guillotine technique and the pull‐through technique for PDN. Medical records of horses undergoing PDN (January 2008–February 2017) were reviewed (guillotine technique: n = 25, pull‐through technique: n = 15). Outcome was obtained by telephone questionnaire. There was no significant difference between treatment groups for the return to athletic activity, presence of residual/recurrent lameness, occurrence of post‐operative complications and owner satisfaction. Outcome was similar for both techniques, albeit with highly variable individual responses. Establishing realistic client expectations is very important because only a proportion of horses remain sound following PDN as time progresses. Adequate case selection is warranted with either technique and should involve accurate localisation of pain with diagnostic anaesthesia and definitive diagnostic imaging techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasons for performing study: Controversy exists about the specificity of diagnostic analgesia of the digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) in horses. Objectives: To evaluate the degree of diffusion of mepivacaine from the equine DFTS to adjacent synovial structures. Study design: Crossover experiment. Methods: Under general anaesthesia, the DFTS of one front and one hindlimb of 8 horses were injected simultaneously with mepivacaine. Synovial fluid samples of the injected DFTS, the adjacent metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal (MCP/MTP) joint, proximal interphalangeal joint, distal interphalangeal joint, navicular bursa and contralateral MCP/MTP joint were collected 15 min post injection (T15) from one of the injected limbs and 60 min post injection (T60) from the other limb. Venous blood samples were obtained at T0, T15 and T60 to evaluate systemic distribution of mepivacaine. After a 2-week washout period, the procedure was repeated using the same limbs but reversing the time of sampling (front vs. hindlimbs). The concentration of mepivacaine in samples was measured with a commercial ELISA kit. Results: Mepivacaine concentrations in the DFTS samples, at both T15 (5077 mg/l) and T60 (3503 mg/l), exceeded those estimated sufficient to produce synovial analgesia (100 mg/l or 300 mg/l). Mepivacaine was found in all synovial structures adjacent to the injected DFTS and in the contralateral MCP/MTP joints, but concentrations were low, with a maximum value of only 3.2 mg/l. With the exception of the navicular bursa samples, the mepivacaine concentrations in the adjacent synovial structures were significantly higher at T60 than at T15 (P<0.03). Significantly higher mepivacaine concentrations were found in the ipsilateral than the contralateral MCP/MTP joints at T60 (P<0.001). Blood samples had significantly higher mepivacaine concentrations at T15 and T60 than at T0 (P<0.001). Conclusions: Mepivacaine injected into the DFTS of horses diffuses towards adjacent synovial structures without achieving clinically relevant concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]