Limb fracture during recovery from general anaesthesia: an often tragic complication of equine anaesthesia.
A 10-year-old Thoroughbred mare was presented for lameness of the left hindlimb as a result of an apical fracture of the lateral proximal sesamoid bone. The mare was ultimately euthanased after suffering catastrophic fractures of the 3rd and 4th metatarsal bones of the contra-lateral hindlimb during an uncoordinated attempt to rise during recovery from general anaesthesia after undergoing arthroscopic surgery. The case report focuses mostly on horse anaesthesia-related mortality, anaesthetic procedure in the horse, possible causes of fractures in horses during recovery and ways in which rate of occurrence of these fractures can be minimised.
Dzikiti
T B
TB
Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Ondesterpoort 0110, South Africa. brighton.dzikiti@up.ac.za
Bester
L
L
Cilliers
I
I
Carstens
A
A
Stegmann
G F
GF
Hubert
J
J
D000758:Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000818:Animals; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D006736:Horses / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D012716:Sesamoid Bones / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery