Hardware used to repair a fracture in a horse’s limb occasionally needs to be removed. This surgery, too, is not without potential complications; there are no accepted guidelines for advising whether surgical hardware should be left in place or removed, reports EquiManagement.
German and Spanish researchers joined forces to summarize published data on implant removal in equine, humans and small animals. They discovered arguments both for and against implant removal.
Arguments for removal of hardware cited:Hardware may cause development abnormalities in growing horses that could affect their athletic career
Arguments for leaving hardware in place include:
The authors note that the outcome of hardware removal surgery depends on the horse’s age and fracture location. The younger and in better body condition the horse, the better the surgical outcome is expected to be.
Read more at EquiManagement.
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