‘Best Playing Pony’

WITH JEFFREY WATKINS

Zena’s pastern joint was fused with a special purpose 3-hole locking compression plate designed by the AO Technical Commission’s Veterinary Expert Group (VEEG). (Three-month postoperative X-ray)

Zena’s pastern joint was realigned to its normal anatomical position, and a 3-hole LCP interphalangeal plate (PIP plate) was applied in conjunction with transarticular, 5.5 mm cortex screws placed in lag fashion. (Three-month postoperative X-ray)

For Zena—and countless other horses who’ve undergone the same procedure—the outcome has been a fast return to full function.

“I was surprised at how quickly Zena regained complete soundness. She is a perfect example of how applying AO Principles and techniques improves the lives of patients and has allowed us to move equine orthopedic surgery forward,” Watkins explained. “This technique gave her immediate relief from acute pain and has returned her to an even better-than-before functional level. I think her prospects are great. Now that her pastern joint is fused, she can continue to be athletic — and she won’t reinjure that joint because it no longer exists.”

Watkins said Zena’s recovery, with her returning to work as a fully functioning polo pony, is an excellent example of the One Medicine approach to patient care and how applying AO principles can improve outcomes for the benefit of the patients and their owners.

Relieving suffering and returning the patient to its intended function, ensuring that it is has a pain-free, productive life, is the goal of all AO trained surgeons, regardless of specialty,” he said. “Working horses clearly love what they are doing and have an instinct to perform, just the same as a human athlete. Our goal is to help them return to performance following an injury such as this.”

Less than a year after surgery using AO principles, Zena was named Best Playing Pony at a regional polo tournament.