Bilateral distal radial epiphysectomy and pancarpal arthrodesis for correction of complex carpal deformities in an American Miniature horse

Abstract

Summary A 9‐day‐old American Miniature horse was referred for evaluation and treatment of congenital bilateral carpal deformities. Clinical examination revealed a combination of flexural, angular and rotational deformities affecting both carpi. Radiographic evaluation of both forelimbs revealed malformation of the distal radial epiphysis accompanied by flexural contracture and external rotation of the limb distal to the antebrachial carpal joint. Conservative therapy was attempted with splints and bandages and failed to result in improvement. Surgical intervention was elected and a bilateral distal radial epiphysectomy and pancarpal arthrodesis performed. Fourteen months later the mare was turned out to pasture and ambulating well.

Congenital Ulnar Carpal Bone Luxation in a Miniature Donkey Treated by Pancarpal Arthrodesis

“…An open approach would also have allowed us to perform a wedge resection of the distomedial radius, had it been necessary. 5,10 As much articular cartilage as possible was removed, but the caudally displaced ulnar carpal bone was difficult to access despite joint flexion. Similarly, because of the small size of the bones, perfect contouring of the LCPs was difficult and a gap of 6 mm remained between the dorsomedial plate and the dorsal aspect of the radial carpal bone.…”

“…1,2 Because of the small size of these animals and limited growth potential, aggressive surgical techniques such as osteotomies and/or arthrodesis are sometimes required to correct severe or lately diagnosed limb deformities. [2][3][4][5] These procedures generally carry a reasonable prognosis thanks to the low weight and limited athletic expectations on these small animals.…”

Surgical treatment of severe, complex limb deformities in horses

“…The Case Report by Whitfield‐Cargile and Watkins (2011) is a nice example of how ‘unconventional’ surgeries can be used to treat horses with severe, complex limb deformities. Obviously the successful outcome of this case is in part due to the filly's size and the owner's acceptance of an animal that is considered pasture sound.…”

“…The Case Report by Whitfield-Cargile and Watkins (2011) in this issue is a good example of how thinking 'outside of the box' is extremely valuable when dealing with cases of severe or complex limb deformities. As summarised nicely in the report, limb deformities in horses can be angular, rotational or flexural in nature and in severe cases there is often a combination of deformities present.…”

Carpal Valgosity in Foals

“…The most common corrective methods adjust the horizontal strength and bone growth direction until clinical improvement is achieved. The key to choosing an appropriate treatment method and to successful treatment is to know the detailed physiology of the epiphyseal cartilage, its inner growth activity and the closure time (5). After that time, more complicated methods, such as angular ostectomy and joint arthrodesis, may be applied, but only to save the animal's life.…”