Improvements in anaesthesia, surgical technology and expertise have improved success rates for the repair of many types of fractures in horses.  The Hospital carries a full range of AO/ASIF instrumentation and performs many internal fixation procedures yearly, from the simple to the complex.  The use of pre-surgical digital radiography and the dedicated intra-surgical digital radiography system has improved technical preparation and implant placement significantly.  Significant numbers of horses now survive to fulfill a useful life.  The success of joint surgery has been revolutionised by the development of arthroscopic (‘key hole surgery’) technology and expertise.  Using video-camera control, a diversity of instrumentation including motorised burrs and synovial resecting equipment can be utilised to treat the various joint conditions which horses can develop.

This has resulted in performance horses recovering better and returning to training earlier than was previously possible with conventional arthrotomy techniques. 

Furthermore there are now few equine synovial cavities which are inaccessible to arthroscopic equipment.   Thus arthroscopy has almost completely replaced traditional approaches to joints, tendon sheaths and bursae.  Additionally, all procedures can now be video-recorded.

 

For More information on surgical techniques/referrals, please fell free to contact us on 

+353 (0) 45 521686 or email us at ttga@ttga.ie