Cutting the check ligaments to help prevent reinjury of tendons?

A

Arniebear

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 January 2012
Messages
1,449
Visit site
Has anyone heard of this surgery? Anyone have any good or bad stories??

It has been suggested as a preventative surgery for my 5yr old who has torn his SDFT, the tendon itself is healing well, its purely to help prevent re-injury.

Such a shame as his career hasn't even started yet :(

Any info on this will be great :)
 
After some research i have found out the proper name!! Its called an annular ligament desmotomy! Does anyone have an experience of this?
 
Only in foals where it can be used to help with foals with contracted tendons. Never heard of it used in older horses though.Not sure it wont cause more issues in the future .
 
alex2601 said:
After some research i have found out the proper name!! Its called an annular ligament desmotomy! Does anyone have an experience of this?
Click to expand...

Then it's not cutting the check ligaments as per your title.

An Annular Ligament Desectomy is similar to the Carpal Tunnel Op that humans have - the Annular Ligament is like a Band Aid that holds everything in place at the bottom of the leg/top of the Fetlock, however, if it becomes thick or injured it constricts the tendons and can cause damage to them.

My boy had a double Palmar Annular Ligament Desectomy when he was 15 following an Injury to one of them. The surgeon noticed the other was starting to thicken so snipped it too.

It is a very common operation in older horses. I havent heard of it being done as a purely preventative measure, however, I guess you wont be covered under insurance for Tendons and Ligaments on the leg that he injured his SDFT.
 
Pasha said:
Then it's not cutting the check ligaments as per your title.

An Annular Ligament Desectomy is similar to the Carpal Tunnel Op that humans have - the Annular Ligament is like a Band Aid that holds everything in place at the bottom of the leg/top of the Fetlock, however, if it becomes thick or injured it constricts the tendons and can cause damage to them.

My boy had a double Palmar Annular Ligament Desectomy when he was 15 following an Injury to one of them. The surgeon noticed the other was starting to thicken so snipped it too.

It is a very common operation in older horses. I havent heard of it being done as a purely preventative measure, however, I guess you wont be covered under insurance for Tendons and Ligaments on the leg that he injured his SDFT.
Click to expand...

no your right, i just couldn't think of how else to describe it.... i was in a bit of a mess yesterday and my vet said big long words i couldn't remember!
The main reason my vet wants to do it because his right fore has an enlarged tendon suggesting he has had a previous injury, after 6 weeks box rest this has reduced in size but minimally. The left fore which currently holds the injured tendon is healing very nicely, my vets thoughts are if we do this procedure it may help to reduce the tension in the SDFT thus helping to reduce the size of the SDFT in the right fore.

My worries are that its going to hinder him in his competitive career... if he gets as far down the road as being able to compete again... its a long road but im trying to be positive. My vet has no worries that the currently injured (left fore) SDFT will repair his concerns are for re-injury when we start work again mainly with his right fore as this is enlarged (suggesting it is potentially weak?) but the tendon structure is intact. It could just be the start of something else which is why its enlarged, hence his suggestion of this surgery which apparently reduces the chance of re-injury as it increases the elasticity of the tendon, by releasing the tension... although i am more than happy to be proven wrong if anyone else has any more information on the procedure?

In a short of it i just want my competition horse back so we can start his career, if this surgery will help he can have it, if it wont, then he wont. Im just trying to gather all the information i can before i make a decision. It will be a complete shame if his legs prevent him from eventing as i know he has the mind and capabilities to do it and do it well, but without getting him fixed and back in work i wont know if his legs can handle it... its a shame no-one has a crystal ball eh?!! He can have all the time in the world, and i know i cant stop him re-injuring if and when he does but if he can have a preventative measure to help reduce it, i know ill be kicking myself is he doesnt have it and re-injures. I also know he could recover from this and never have a tendon issue again but at this stage no one can say that... although i wish they could!

sorry for the waffle
 
Well im not a vet but my boy had his surgery in March 2011 - the surgeon found no damage to his tendons and ligaments at the time and he made a tex book recovery and completed a non-competitive endurance ride in the August over 16km.

His legs were 100% fine until April this year when he sprained the check ligament in the same leg that had the annular ligament injury (this one had proper surgery whereas the other was only keyhole). He did 4 weeks box rest and all way going well, then his leg blew up and vet discovered a core lesion to the DDFT and enlarged SDFT.

He is still on box rest and now waling 40 minutes per day - check ligament and SDFT are still enlarged but im not sure if they ever fully return to normal size?

So in my boys case he ended up injuring his Tendons and Ligamnets after the bloomin surgery! He is a silly sod though and does some horrendous spins, skids and leaps! Someone should tell him he is 17 now lol!
 
My boy had annular ligament surgery in 2010 on his left fore after he injured his ddft. He had 6 months off, 4 of those were box rest with inhand walking. I then did 12 weeks walking building up to a couple hours and eventually introduced trot and finally canter just over a year post surgery. He jumped 16 months on and did his first event at 20 months i think. Touch wood he has been sound since. Lack of transport has stopped us from eventing this season but he's feeling as well as ever. I'm very careful about the surface i work him on, don't jump him too regularly and he has been barefoot since the op.

best of luck with your horse
 
Charem said:
My boy had annular ligament surgery in 2010 on his left fore after he injured his ddft. He had 6 months off, 4 of those were box rest with inhand walking. I then did 12 weeks walking building up to a couple hours and eventually introduced trot and finally canter just over a year post surgery. He jumped 16 months on and did his first event at 20 months i think. Touch wood he has been sound since. Lack of transport has stopped us from eventing this season but he's feeling as well as ever. I'm very careful about the surface i work him on, don't jump him too regularly and he has been barefoot since the op.

best of luck with your horse
Click to expand...

thank you, its nice to hear a positive story :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top