Page 33 - Manual of Equine Field Surgery
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Emergency Management of the Fracture Patient 29
ture configuration, and the availability of a well- splint (Figure 4-11). The splint provides a quick
equipped surgical facility. The goal of initial sta- and easily applied support; however, it may
bilization is to ensure that the horse reaches the provide less rigid support than a tightly placed
referral center in the best possible condition, splint-cast combination.P
while minimizing additional injuries to soft tissue
and fractured bones during transportation.1•2•8
COMMENTS
ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURES Ioint luxations present similar to tra11matic unsta-
ble fractures and warrant immediate stabilization
A commercially available manufactured metal following the same described principles.
splint, «Kimzey Leg Saver" (Kimzey Welding
Works, Woodland, Calif.), provides adequate sta-
bilization for section 1 fractures in both forelimbs REFERENCES
and hind limbs. Care should be taken to ade-
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aid treatment and transportation of equine fracture
patients, Comp Cont Educ 5:S564, 1983.
2. Bramlage LR: First aid and transportation of frac-
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repair, Philadelphia, 1996, WB Saunders.
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medicine and surgery, ed 5, St Louis, 1999, Mosby.
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and transportation of equine fracture patients. In
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'··"··" .. .
Figure 4-11 An alternative way to stabilize section 1 7. Walmsley J: Emergency management of fractures in
fractures and luxations is by use of a commercially horses, In Practice 21:122, 1999.
available manufactured metal splint, the "Leg Saver" by 8. Whitton RC: Temporary splinting of fractures. In
Kimzey. ( Courtesy Kimzey Welding Works, Woodland, Rose RJ, Hodgson DR, editors: Manual of equine
Calif.) practice, ed 2, Philadelphia, 2000, WB Saunders.