Bone growth in foals and epiphyseal compression.

Limb angulation in foals may be due to defects in epiphyseal growth plates. The present state of knowledge concerning rate of growth in foals and differences in growth of different epiphyseal plates is reviewed and the importance of accurate knowledge of these parameters in treatment of angulation by unilateral retardation of an epiphyseal growth plate is stressed. Retardation of epiphyseal plate growth by compression wiring is described and its advantages in comparison with staplings are suggested. Compression wiring was used in 3 cases in which age, bone width and the degree of angulation were known so that the probable rate of bone growth could be assessed and the necessary unilateral bone increment could be calculated. It is suggested that further measurements of these parameters prior to growth plate retardation would give a more accurate comparison of the benefits of stapling and compression wiring.