Page 250 - Equine Clinical Medicine, Surgery and Reproduction, 2nd Edition

Musculoskeletal system: 1.6 The hea d 225

VetBooks.ir 1.419 1.420

Fig. 1.419 Laterolateral radiograph of a unilateral Fig. 1.420 Laterolateral oblique radiograph of the
mandibular fracture within the 404 and 406 interdental same fracture shown in 1.419.
space, with extension of the fracture line into the apices
of the 406 tooth.

1.421 1.422

Fig. 1.421 Dorsoventral radiograph of the rostral Fig. 1.422 Intraoral radiograph of a mandibular
skull of a horse with a maxillary bone fracture, incisor arcade with a fractured crown of the 303 tooth.
showing the superimposition of the mandibular The radiograph was taken using a radiolucent bit plate
structures. attached to a conventional oral speculum.

For more caudal fractures, the beam is centred tissues of the head (Fig. 1.423). Reconstructed cross-
on the area of suspected pathology. The temporo- sectional slices (Fig. 1.424) and three-dimensional
mandibular joints and hyoid apparatus can also be views (Fig. 1.425) allow a highly accurate assessment
assessed radiographically. However, these regions of fractures and aid greatly in surgical planning.
can be difficult to appreciate fully on radiographs,
and in some cases ultrasonographic examination may Management
be more useful. CT examination, often performed Minor injuries may heal spontaneously, although
with the horse standing using sedation, is now com- they will benefit from wound lavage and debride-
monplace in a number of referral centres and pro- ment. If a single tooth has been avulsed and is sup-
vides exceptional views of the mineralised and soft ported with only minimal soft-tissue attachments,