Athletic prognosis following arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments of the proximal dorsal sagittal ridge of the fetlock in Thoroughbreds intended for flat racing

• Published in: Veterinary surgery Vol. 53; no. 6; pp. 980 - 987
• Main Authors: Luick, Mackenzie L., Khouzam, Natalie A., Pérez‐Nogués, Marcos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-08-2024; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Animals; Arthroscopy - methods; Arthroscopy - veterinary; Female; Forelimb - surgery; Horse Diseases - pathology; Horse Diseases - surgery; Horses; Lesions; Limbs; Male; Medical records; Profits; Prognosis; Racehorses; Racing; Retrospective Studies; Sports
• ISSN: 0161-3499; 1532-950X; 1532-950X
• DOI: 10.1111/vsu.14129

Objective
To establish racing prognosis in Thoroughbred yearlings with proximal sagittal ridge osteochondral lesions and compare them to dorsoproximal and palmar/plantar first phalanx osteochondral lesions.
Animals
A total of 47 horses had proximal sagittal ridge lesions, 34 had palmar/plantar first phalanx lesions, and 115 had dorsoproximal first phalanx lesions.
Study design
Retrospective case series.
Methods
Medical records of Thoroughbred yearling racing prospects treated arthroscopically for fetlock osteochondral lesions were reviewed. Data were collected from a public database, including the ability to train and race, earnings, starts, wins, and placed races. Racing prognosis was analyzed and compared between three lesion locations.
Results
Of the proximal sagittal ridge group, 76.6% raced, 65.71% of the palmar/plantar first phalanx group, and 74.58% of the dorsoproximal first phalanx group. Career length was similar for all lesions. A lower number of “starts” in the group “five years old and older” was found for the dorsoproximal first phalanx group compared to the cohort with proximal sagittal ridge lesions. Mares had more “earnings” at two years old but fewer “starts” at “five years old” compared to colts and geldings. Forelimb lesions were predictive for fewer total career starts.
Conclusion
Proximal sagittal ridge lesions had similar prognoses to dorsoproximal and palmar/plantar first phalanx lesions. In older horses, there was an increase in the number of starts for the proximal sagittal ridge group compared to the dorsoproximal first phalanx group. Mares and forelimb lesions were associated with decreased racing starts.
Clinical significance
These findings aid in prognostication for Thoroughbreds with osteochondral lesions removed arthroscopically in the fetlock joint.