A complication of fractures, especially of long bones, is the formation of a fat . When a fracture occurs, fat escapes from the bone marrow at fracture site, enters the blood stream and forms an embolus. This can block small blood vessels in the lung, skin & brain causing hypoxia and ischemia.
Diagnosis of fracture is made through clinical signs and symptoms as well as radiography. Stress fractures may require nuclear scans to be visual.
Treatment includes rest for a minimum of months, administration of NSAID’s, cold hydrotherapy, use of casts or splints, arthroscopy to remove excess bone, surgical fixation of the fracture with pins, screws or plates. Fracture healing and repair is less successful in horses than other animals due to their large size and body mass and their need to during the recovery period. As well there are often complications associated with the recovery from general anaesthesia as the horse may re- fracture or fracture another limb when it first tries to rise. Often a fracture that involves an articulating surface or joint causes in the joint even if the fracture heals well.
Fracture Mechanics Fractures can be classified by the mechanical force causing the trauma.
If the cause is
trauma, the force may be:
1)
.
- high force acting on a large surface area
- associated with severe soft tissue injury & hematoma
2)
.
- high force acting on a small surface area
- low velocity wound
3)
.
- high velocity force acting on a small surface area with extremely high loading rate
- high velocity wound
If the cause is indirect trauma, the force may be:
1)
.
- causes a traction or an avulsion fracture
2)
(axial)
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