Schulze Nicole, Ehrle Anna, Noguera Cender Andrea C, Lischer Christoph
Equine Clinic, Surgery, and Radiology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Vet Surg. 2019 Nov;48(8):1500-1506. doi: 10.1111/vsu.13283. Epub 2019 Jul 12.
To report surgical treatment of a complete luxation of the atlantoaxial articulation with a 4.5-mm T-locking compression plate (T-LCP) in a horse.
Case report.
A one-year-old American quarter horse filly.
A one-year-old American quarter horse filly presented with a complete luxation of the atlantoaxial articulation. Closed and open reduction of the luxation were attempted under general anesthesia with the aid of a pulley system. Because the manual reduction was unsuccessful, the dens axis was excised, and the atlas and axis were stabilized with a 4.5-mm T-LCP. Four 5.5-mm cortex screws were placed across the atlantoaxial articulation in lag fashion to provide additional stability.
The horse made an uneventful recovery from surgery and remained comfortable thereafter. Nine months postsurgery, the filly had developed normally and did not show any sign of ataxia or reduced mobility of the cranial neck.
The described surgical approach resulted in the successful stabilization of a complete luxation of the atlantoaxial articulation in an American quarter horse yearling, with a favorable outcome.
Complete atlantoaxial luxation is associated with a poor prognosis for survival in horses. This is the first report of a favorable outcome after surgical stabilization. The described approach presents a valuable alternative to the manual reduction of atlantoaxial luxation in horses.
