A RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF THE SURGICAL-MANAGEMENT OF EQUINE CARPAL INJURY

Records of 220 thoroughbred horses presented to the Randwick Equine Ce ntre or the University of Queensland Veterinary Teaching Hospital for surgical management of carpal injury were review ed. Details of racing performance were obtained, enabling evaluation of racing success foll owing surgery. Age and sex matched control horses not known to have su ffered carpal injury were selected from the Australian Stud Book and t he Australian Racehorse Register. Control and treated populations were compared in terms of overall career racing success. Radiographs or xe roradiographs from 198 horses were available for evaluation. The dorso medial aspects of the distal articular surface of the radial carpal bo ne and the proximal articular surface of the third carpal bone were th e most commonly observed locations of osteochondral fracture. Bilatera l carpal injury was found to be sufficiently common to warrant routine radiographic examination of both limbs. The dorsolateral-palmaromedia l oblique, flexed lateral and dorsoproximal-dorsodistal oblique (skyli ne) projections were the most useful views for evaluation of carpal de generative joint disease. Surgical removal of osteochondral fractures by arthrotomy or arthroscopy was found to be a suitable method of trea tment. Arthroscopy was associated with a significantly shorter convale scent period than arthrotomy. Seventy-six percent of the treated popul ation returned to racing following surgery. Average earnings following surgery were $20 000. However, the median value was only $1400 and 48 % of the treated population failed to earn more than $1000. Male horse s in both the treated and control groups performed significantly bette r than females. Treated horses performed significantly better than the randomly selected control population.