Repair of an open radial fracture in an adult horse.
An open radial fracture in an adult horse (450 kg) was repaired by internal fixation, using two 18-hole 4.5-mm broad dynamic compression plates and 5.5- and 4.5-mm bone screws. The fracture healed completely, but when evaluated 9 months after surgery, the horse was lame on the fractured limb at a trot. Local infiltration of anesthesia along the distal half of the bone plates greatly ameliorated the lameness, suggesting that the plates were irritating the soft tissues and extensor tendons along the cranial and lateral aspects of the antebrachium. Both bone plates were removed simultaneously with no complications, and the horse became sound.
Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602.
G M
GM
Baxter
J N
JN
Moore
S C
SC
Budsberg
D000818:Animals; D001860:Bone Plates / Q000662:veterinary*; D001863:Bone Screws / Q000662:veterinary; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000662:veterinary*; D006736:Horses / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*