Experiences of annular ligament surgery vs box rest?

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cornish1

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Hi, I'm posting on behalf of a friend who has a 15.1 cob mare, approx 15 years old who has had hind leg swelling and lameness for approx the last three months. After nerve blocks, x rays and scans it has been diagnosed as the result of old damage to the annular ligament which is constricting the tendons. The options given have been prolonged box rest (I think 6 months, but may be slightly out as obviously she isn't my horse so I may have that a bit wrong!), or a visit to Bristol to have an op to cut the ligament, remove the constriction to the tendon and then a shorter period of box rest. My friend really isn't sure what route to go down, so I wondered if anyone has had experience of this injury and what they did? Thanks very much in advance and well done for getting this far!!!
 
cornish1 said:
Hi, I'm posting on behalf of a friend who has a 15.1 cob mare, approx 15 years old who has had hind leg swelling and lameness for approx the last three months. After nerve blocks, x rays and scans it has been diagnosed as the result of old damage to the annular ligament which is constricting the tendons. The options given have been prolonged box rest (I think 6 months, but may be slightly out as obviously she isn't my horse so I may have that a bit wrong!), or a visit to Bristol to have an op to cut the ligament, remove the constriction to the tendon and then a shorter period of box rest. My friend really isn't sure what route to go down, so I wondered if anyone has had experience of this injury and what they did? Thanks very much in advance and well done for getting this far!!!
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Without sounding too vetty (we love to do stuff!), go for surgery. IME the response to box rest is poor and adhesions often form. This is the classic age for a PlALS (Plantar annular ligament syndrome) and breed type. Often the subcutaneous tissues and skin are so thick here they are causing as much of a problem as the PlAL itself. The surgery is usually done via tenoscopy now (keyhole surgery via the digital sheath) so small holes and lower risk of wound breakdown. Generally they do quite well after surgery, but beware, the other leg often will suffer too - inconveniently often about 18 months after the first so the insurance exclusion is on already....:rolleyes:
Some people opt to have both done at the same time because of this - still not sure I can really justify that though - especially if this is from an old injury.

Best of luck
Imogen
 
had my Welsh Cob operated on at 20 due to bilateral hindlimb annular ligament desmitis. Rest was making him worse not better (he doesn't tolerate box rest so we were using tiny paddock rest instead and he is not one to run around outside so would have been moving relatively little on it). He had surgery on both as after nerve blocking one leg he would go lame on the other and ultrasound showed changes in both. He came sound and was brought back into work slowly over 6mths, then came in from the field one day crippled lame again. I turned him away for 2yrs then gradually re-introduced hacking and this year he's been back out competing in Veterans classes aged 24, 99% sound (better than most of the horses in the classes) and he's won most of what he's entered. Def dont regret doing the surgery.
 
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