Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bone growth in foals and epiphyseal compression.
- Journal:
- Equine veterinary journal
- Year:
- 1977
- Authors:
- Campbell, J R
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In young horses, also known as foals, problems with how their bones grow can lead to issues with limb angulation, which is when the legs bend in an unusual way. This study looks at how fast foals grow and how different parts of their bones develop, emphasizing the need for precise information to treat these angulation issues effectively. One method discussed is using compression wiring to slow down the growth of a specific bone area, which might be better than another method called stapling. The researchers used compression wiring in three foals, taking into account their age, bone size, and the angle of their legs to determine how much growth needed to be adjusted. They suggest that measuring these factors more thoroughly before treatment could help compare the effectiveness of the two methods better.
Abstract
Limb angulation in foals may be due to defects in epiphyseal growth plates. The present state of knowledge concerning rate of growth in foals and differences in growth of different epiphyseal plates is reviewed and the importance of accurate knowledge of these parameters in treatment of angulation by unilateral retardation of an epiphyseal growth plate is stressed. Retardation of epiphyseal plate growth by compression wiring is described and its advantages in comparison with staplings are suggested. Compression wiring was used in 3 cases in which age, bone width and the degree of angulation were known so that the probable rate of bone growth could be assessed and the necessary unilateral bone increment could be calculated. It is suggested that further measurements of these parameters prior to growth plate retardation would give a more accurate comparison of the benefits of stapling and compression wiring.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/891514/