Stifle Arthroscopy

[Spangles]

Looking for advice & info on Stifle Athroscopy ie :

- Success rate
- Recovery & Rehab ie how long ?
- Where would you recommend to send a horse (Berkshire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire counties)

 

[Britestar]

Horse had arthroscopy.

Found to have grade 3 meniscal tear.
Guarded prognosis after surgery. 6-10% chance of returning to work.

6 weeks box rest, 6 months restricted turnout, then reintroduced to the herd.
Indiba therapy given for six months.

At approx 10 months post surgery, physio suggested he looked good enough to start being ridden. 6 months walking on hacks, with gradual reintroduction of trotting.

18 months post surgery, back in full work.

Now 3.5yrs later, in full work with no problems. Regular training and competing.

He does not jump now but uses full range of movements in the field .

Even vet school have expressed suprise at his recovery.

Patience and long slow rehab helped his recovery . There was never any expectation or rush.

Can't advise re where, as totally different part of the county.

 

[Spangles]

Thank you so much, may I ask how old your horse was ?

 

[HorsesRule2009]

I have no experience of this, but with regards to rehab yards approach Sophie Seymour slightly out of area as Gloucestershire/Wiltshire border but brilliant

 

[Britestar]

Thank you so much, may I ask how old your horse was ?

He was 9

 

[DressageCob]

I had a stifle arthroscopy on a 17 year old cob. He was put down on the table because the fibres were too fragile to work with. There was an acute injury but what was found in the arthroscopy was also general wear and tear (he'd had a rough start in life and was driven as a yearling before he was mine). There was a chance I could get him home and after a long period of box rest get him comfortable enough to be retired to the field but I couldn't put him through that. He lived to be out with his mates, so box rest for 6 months was no life.

 

[EnduroRider]

I had one done on an arab that blocked to the stifle, he'd have been around 10 at the time. Arthroscopy showed chonrdomalacia of the medial articular surface and he was treated with Arti-Cell stem cells. I sold him (with full disclosure!) less than a year later as I simply didn't have the time to get him in to any regular work and he is now successfully competing lower level endurance rides with his new owner, he was back out competing at around a year post treatment. I used Ashbrook in Cheshire so cannot help IRO more Southerly options.

 

[ihatework]

It's one thing I've never had done for one of mine, known a handful but I think prognosis varies depending on the specifics of the case.

However for that specific location I'd suggest Valley in Lamborne - they have good orthopaedic visiting surgeons.

 

[Spangles]

I had a stifle arthroscopy on a 17 year old cob. He was put down on the table because the fibres were too fragile to work with. There was an acute injury but what was found in the arthroscopy was also general wear and tear (he'd had a rough start in life and was driven as a yearling before he was mine). There was a chance I could get him home and after a long period of box rest get him comfortable enough to be retired to the field but I couldn't put him through that. He lived to be out with his mates, so box rest for 6 months was no life.

So sorry your outcome was a sad one