'Sterile tracts' after horse operation

[paddi22]

A horse here had two hock operations this year, and it was healing well and sound. Abscesses started to pop up every few weeks randomly, and the vet isn't worried about them as they say they are 'sterile tracts' where the wound is cleaning out debris. So what's coming out isn't infection. It's been checked on ultrasound, tested etc. I was just wondering if anyone has experienced these style abscesses, especially after a hock op? I am just wondering how long does it typically go on for? I've had two now that drain and healed, but a month or so later, another one pops up. It's costing me a fortune in terms of time, stress, and bandaging materials! Just wondering if anyone had experience of them.

 

[honetpot]

I only have experience with human wounds, including orthopedics. I would want to know what the fluid was, just to check its not coming from the joint, or there is something else in it. When you get any sort of inflammation the site swells and the fluid that would normally stay in the cell walls leaks out, and tries to get out somewhere. It could be the wound hasn't healed from the bottom, so its sealed off a pocket which repeats breaking out, normaly you try and keep the opening open, like in a hoof abcess, but if its tracking back to the joint there is a risk of infection getting in. The fact that it keeps erupting makes me think that there is a pocket, I suppose it depends if its sterile and then is no other symtoms perhaps doing nothing is the safer bet.

 

[paddi22]

they checked the fluid and it was serosanguineous fluid? definitely not coming from the joint, they can see on ultrasound where the abcess starts end and the joint fluid is clean.They said some horses can have an inflammatory response to stuff like tissue debris, or even the powder from surgical gloves and it can trigger an inflammatory response.its just a very odd thing!