OUTCOME FOLLOWING SURGICAL
TREATMENT OF PRIMARY PALMAR/PLANTAR
ANNULAR LIGAMENT DESMOPATHY: A
RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF TWENTY-EIGHT
CASES
G.M Nieuwenhuis, H. O’Neil, B.J O’Meara, F.M James, B. Bladon
Donnington Grove Veterinary Surgery, Newbury, UK
RESEARCH ABSTRACT
Reasons for performing study: There is little available literature regarding the
outcome of endoscopically-guided desmotomy of the palmar/plantar annular ligament
(PAL) where PAL injury was the only diagnosis.
Objectives: To report the return to previous level of exercise in horses treated with
endoscopically-guided PAL resection in which PAL injury was considered to be the
primary condition.
Study Design: Retrospective case series.
Methods: Medical records of surgical cases at Donnington Grove Veterinary Surgery
between 2005 and 2013 were reviewed. The inclusion criteria were cases that had
undergone surgical transection of the palmar/plantar annular ligament under general
anaesthesia and endoscopic guidance using a no. 12 scalpel blade, or
electrocautery, where annular ligament injury was the only significant finding at
surgery. Follow-up information was obtained by telephone questionnaire.
Results: Twenty-eight horses were included in the study. Twenty-five horses were
noted to have restriction to passage of the arthroscope within the DFTS at the time of
surgery. Following the initial 3 month post-operative rest period 27 horses were
sound. Three horses did not return to their previous level of activity due to unrelated
lameness issues and 3 returned to a lower level of competition due to owner
preference. Of the remaining 22 horses, 20 returned to their previous level of athletic
performance. Two horses had recurrent or persistent lameness associated with the
residual PAL desmopathy.
Conclusions: In this case series surgical treatment of primary PAL injury carries a
good prognosis (90% (censored) - return to previous level of exercise) in contrast to a
previously reported study (<50% of horses were able to return to athletic function)
(Owens et al 2008)[1].
References:
1.OWEN, K. R (2008), Retrospective study of palmar/plantar annular ligament injury
in 71 horses: 2001–study EVJ, 40: 237–244. doi: 10.2746/042516408X271217
15-‐18
February
2016
East
London
Convention
Centre,
East
London,
South
Africa
104