Bruce M Bladon

Donnington Grove Veterinary Surgery · Equine

Background Focal hyperintense lesions within the navicular bursa emanating from the dorsal border of the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) can be recognised on T1‐weighted magnetic resonance images (MRI) and have been attributed to lameness in horses. Removal of these lesions, also referred to as synovial masses, by navicular bursoscopy is currentl...

Background: Monitoring antibiotic usage is an important part of tackling antimicrobial resistance. The use of computerised records for monitoring has been previously described in the equine sector but there is currently no consensus on metrics used to report usage. Objectives: To document antibiotic use in equine practices in the United Kingdom...

Objective: To describe the removal of palmar intermediate carpal bone (ICB) fracture fragments using a transthecal approach through the carpal flexor tendon sheath. Study design: Case series. Animals: Four horses with fractures of the palmar aspect of the ICB. Methods: Two horses were injured when falling and two during recovery from general...

This report describes two cases of spontaneous small intestinal evisceration via normally inserted umbilical stumps, without abdominal wall trauma. Both cases occurred immediately following uneventful parturition. The authors believe that these represent cases of umbilical cord herniation. This is a well-recognised condition in humans, but has not...

Background A triangular screw configuration has been suggested as preferable for repair of sagittal fractures of the proximal phalanx. Objective To assess the outcome of a triangular screw construct for repair of incomplete and complete minimally displaced proximal phalanx fractures under standing sedation in a population of Thoroughbred racehorse...

Background Current arthroscopic approaches to the caudal pouches of the lateral femorotibial joint are challenging and risk iatrogenic nerve and cartilage injury. Objective Describe an alternative arthroscopic approach to the caudal pouches of the lateral femorotibial joint in the horse and report intra‐articular abnormalities observed during diag...

Background Sagittal plane slab fractures of the third carpal bone are a recognised injury in the racehorse. Currently no published data exist for the UK Thoroughbred racehorse population. Objectives To document return to racing following sagittal slab fracture of the third carpal bone in a UK‐based racehorse population, and to compare conservative...

Background Palmar osteochondral disease (POD) is a common cause of lameness in competition horses. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most sensitive diagnostic modality currently available, however it may not be financially or logistically practical for routine screening of POD. There is increasing interest in the use of metabolomics for diagn...

Background Previous studies investigating factors associated with survival following endoscopic treatment of contamination/sepsis of the calcaneal bursa are limited. Objectives To investigate the factors associated with survival in horses with contamination/sepsis of the calcaneal bursae treated endoscopically and to describe the bacterial isolate...

Background Pathology of the digital flexor tendon sheath is a significant cause of lameness in the horse. Imaging is important to identify lesions and inform on prognosis prior to tenoscopic surgery. Objectives To use a large population to evaluate 1) the sensitivity and specificity of digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) contrast radiographs in di...

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and complications associated with ceratohyoidectomy (CHE) in standing sedated horses unaffected (experimental horses) and standing sedated horses affected (clinical cases) with temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO). Study design: Case series. Animals: Six experimental horses and four clinical cases. Met...

Objective: To compare the outcome following conservative vs surgical management of sports horses with a diagnosis of subchondral bone trauma of the proximal aspect of the proximal phalanx (PP) by low-field MRI. Study design: Retrospective case series. Animals: Twenty-one mature sports horses with evidence of high water signal within the proxim...

Supplementary Item 1: Case background and clinical examination.

Supplementary Item 4: Arthroscopic approach and findings.

Supplementary Item 5: Convalescence time and outcome.

Supplementary Item 3: Intraoperative arthroscopic views of the axial aspect of the medial femorotibial joint of horses with fracture of the MICET.

Supplementary Item 2: Intra‐articular anaesthesia and diagnostic imaging.

Background: Fractures of the medial intercondylar eminence of the tibia (MICET) are scarcely reported in horses. Objectives: To report the clinical and diagnostic findings, surgical treatment and outcome in a series of horses presented with MICET fracture and treated with arthroscopic fragment removal. Study design: Multi-centre retrospective...

Reasons for performing study Inflammation is key in the development of post operative ileus in rodents, with a similar pathogenesis likely occurring in other species. Dexamethasone reduces inflammation and therefore could help reduce post operative ileus in the horse. Objectives To determine if dexamethasone reduces post operative ileus in horses...

Reasons for performing study Sagittal plane slab fractures of the third carpal bone are a recognised injury in the racehorse. One study [1] reported 32 horses with sagittal fractures, 69% raced again. Surgical management appeared beneficial, with all horses that underwent inter‐fragmentary compression racing again. Objectives To document the succe...

The overall rate of sepsis following endoscopic surgery of synovial structures has not previously been documented. Clinical observation has led to the conjecture that tendon sheaths, in particular the carpal flexor tendon sheath, are more prone to post-operative synovial sepsis than other synovial structures. To document and investigate the rate of...

Gastric impaction associated with large colon volvulus (LCV) was identified in seven horses. Right dorsal displacement of the large colon and suspected nephrosplenic entrapment was identified in 2 of the 7 horses as well as LCV with concurrent gastric impaction. All horses underwent surgery for LCV and none survived. Five horses died or were subjec...

Reasons for performing study Little exists in the literature regarding the outcome of endoscopically‐guided desmotomy of the palmar/plantar annular ligament ( PAL ) where injury to the PAL 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 in...

This case report outlines the successful management of a case of chronic grass sickness in a donkey and highlights that the occurrence of grass sickness may be underestimated in this species. Furthermore, grass sickness should be considered in the differential diagnosis in cases of inappetance and ill thrift in donkeys.

An in depth review of DCP fixation of propagating medial condyle fracture of the third metacarpus or metatarsus has not been reported. To describe the technique, evaluate short-term outcome and long-term race performance of racehorses that underwent dynamic compression plate fixation (DCP) for repair of propagating or spiralling medial condylar fra...

THE enigma of foot lameness in the horse has puzzled veterinary surgeons since the dawn of the profession. Navicular disease emerged as a recognised disease back in the mid-19th century, but understanding of the precise pathophysiology has proved elusive. There have been many false dawns. The description of the thrombosis theory as a unifying expla...

Introduction Navicular bursoscopy is indicated for the treatment of synovial sepsis. A transthecal approach via the DFTS distal recess offers superior visualisation with reduced risk of iatrogenic injury (Haupt and Caron, 2012). This approach has not been described in the treatment of sepsis and could be considered contraindicated when approached v...

The factors associated with outcome following solar foot penetration involving synovial structures treated using endoscopic lavage have not been described in the UK population. To provide descriptive data on horses with synovial contamination or sepsis following solar penetration in 4 UK equine referral hospitals and to identify specific factors as...

To determine typical clinical features associated with tears of the manica flexoria (MF) and prognosis for return to athletic function after surgical resection. Case series. Medical records (January 2001-December 2011) of horses that underwent tenoscopic surgical treatment of MF tears were reviewed and outcome obtained by telephone questionnaire of...

This retrospective study summarises the case details, presenting signs, management and outcome in cases of temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO) and describes the findings of diagnostic imaging modalities. The condition appears to be relatively rare in Europe and the objective of this study is to make clinicians aware that THO can have a range of var...

To determine the success of medical management of suspected displacement of the ascending (large) colon in horses. Retrospective case series. Horses (n = 127) with suspected large colon displacement. Medical records (January 1998–September 2008) of horses admitted for colic were reviewed. Suspected large colon displacement was diagnosed from clinic...

Obstructions of the large colon are relatively common causes of colic in the horse. Diagnosis involves establishing what type of obstruction is present in order to decide whether medical therapy is appropriate or if exploratory laparotomy is indicated. Strangulating obstructions cannot be managed medically and require surgical intervention. This ar...

The conventional arthroscopic approach to the palmar/plantar aspect of the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) may result in the inadvertent penetration of the digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) and the navicular bursa (NB). This iatrogenic communication would be undesirable subsequent to arthroscopic lavage of a septic DIPJ. A lateral/medial appr...

REASON FOR PERFORMING THE STUDY: There are few published data regarding the success rates of cheek tooth (CT) removal by lateral buccotomy in the horse. A retrospective study of 114 horses admitted to 2 private equine referral hospitals over a 10 year period (1999-2009), which underwent CT removal via a lateral buccotomy. Hospital records were anal...

Records of horses admitted to a veterinary surgery in the UK for lameness investigation during 2000 to 2008 were reviewed. Twenty-one horses were identified with both scintigraphic and radiological evidence of enostosis-like lesions (ELLs), in which 68 individual foci of increased radiopharmaceutical uptake were confirmed in 57 long bones. The pres...

Increased radio-isotope uptake (IRU) in the subchondral bone of the plantaro-lateral condyle of the third metatarsus (MTIII) is a commonly reported scintigraphic finding and potential cause of lameness in UK Thoroughbred racehorses in training and has not been fully documented. To characterise lameness attributable to IRU of the subchondral bone of...

There is limited information on the treatment of lateral malleolus (LM) fractures in the horse, with no previously published case series for the outcome following arthroscopic removal of such fractures. This report reviews and evaluates findings of a retrospective study of 13 horses admitted to a private equine referral hospital over a 10 year peri...

There is limited information regarding the number of races and the period for evaluation of outcome which is critical for assessment of SDF tendonitis treatments. To evaluate the re-injury rate and racing performance of Thoroughbred racehorses that sustain SDF tendonitis in relation to matched controls in terms of number of races post treatment and...

Objective: To describe and discuss previously unreported complications associated with intraosseous perfusion with gentamicin in horses. Study Design: Case report. Animals: Ten-year-old Warmblood gelding. Methods: Intraosseous perfusion with gentamicin into the proximal phalanx (P1) was used as part of the treatment regimen for distal interphalange...

There have been no reports of the efficacy of thermocautery of the soft palate (TSP) assessed objectively as a treatment of intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP). To compare: racing performance of horses that underwent thermocautery of the soft palate with matched controls; and 'Racing Post ratings' (RPR) with prize money won (...

To describe outcomes for horses diagnosed with incomplete, non-displaced fractures of the frontal plane of the radial facet (INFR) of the third carpal bone (C3) treated by placement of a lag screw across the fracture under arthroscopic guidance. Horses (n=13) diagnosed with INFR and treated between December 1999 and January 2005 using a lag screw p...

To review the prevalence of single and complex forms of dynamic airway obstructions within a large group of Thoroughbred horses in training referred for investigation of poor performance. Video-endoscopic recordings of the upper respiratory tract made during a standardised treadmill exercise test of 600 Thoroughbred racehorses were reviewed and ana...

The reliability of diagnoses of obstructive conditions of the upper respiratory tract (URT) based on examinations performed at rest vs. at exercise is controversial. To compare diagnosis of URT by endoscopy at rest with that achieved during high-speed treadmill exercise (HSTE). Endoscopy of URT at rest, when performed in isolation from other simple...

The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of lameness scoring in horses. One veterinary surgeon examined nineteen lame horses on four occasions. Gait was recorded by camcorder, and scored from 0 to 10 ranging from sound to non-weight bearing lameness. A global score of overall change in lameness during the study was also determined...

Lacerations to the digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) are a common injury in the horse, but little information is available in the literature regarding prognostic indicators. To ascertain whether laceration of the DFTS carried a better prognosis if treated by tenoscopic lavage, debridement and repair within 36 h of the original injury. A retrospec...

There has been no objectively assessed case-control study of the efficacy of surgery to correct dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) previously reported. Composite surgery has a beneficial result on racing performance in horses affected with DDSP as compared to a matched control population. Race records were obtained for 53 racing Thorough...

ANY horse with no palpable scrotal testicles is potentially a cryptorchid, while a horse with only one palpable testicle is almost invariably a cryptorchid. In most cases, a horse with no palpable scrotal testicles is a gelding, but up to 15 per cent of cryptorchid cases are bilateral. Left and right testicles are equally likely to be retained, but...

Extensive resection of the ileum of the horse, using automated stapling equipment followed by a stapled jejunocaecostomy, without closure of the mesenteric defect, was evaluated prospectively as a surgical treatment for lesions involving the distal small intestine. Of 153 horses treated surgically for colic, 10 horses with strangulating lesions inv...