Page 106 - January 2021

MEDICAL CARE
Treatment of injuries in athletes has come a long way through the years. In the 1950s and 60s, for example, a knee injury with torn ligaments could have been career ending. Today, with surgery and rehab, an athlete who tears knee ligaments could be back in action in less than a year. In
the world of horse racing, alternative treatments literally could save lives. Scientists have been working on ways to implement 3D printing in the production of splints, casts, and even prosthetics to aid horses who suffer major leg injuries—up to and including a broken leg, which usually leads
to a racehorse being euthanized. Last summer, Horse Talk, a media outlet based in New Zealand, explored this topic and how 3D printers can create scaffolds to aid in stem cell treatment researching new ways to repair leg fractures. New advances also make it possible for 3D printers to produce horseshoes, although this is much more time- consuming than the traditional method.
Scanning technology already has made an impact in changing care for horses but is making dramatic strides as of late. A company called Orimtech currently offers two state-of-the-art devices: EDAMIS and EQUETOM. EDAMIS (Equine Dual Arm Multi-Modality Imaging System) is a robotic scanner that can provide
comprehensive diagnostic images of horses while
the animals are able to remain in a natural standing position and only need light sedation. The key when evaluating the application properties of EDAMIS is multi-modality—meaning it can be used for X-rays, CT scans, fluoroscopy, and tomosynthesis.
EQUETOM is a much more portable scanner that could have direct applications at
the track. “I think that has a future in pre-race scanning of horses,” said Boris Goldberg, the CEO and co-founder of Orimtech. In just a few seconds, the EQUETOM scanner can gather and assemble information on the bone density in a horse: “If that density is outside the accepted
range we are trying to determine, the doctor could recommend not to run that particular horse because the possibility of breakage is high,” Goldberg added. Such applications could allow prevention of catastrophic fractures in racehorses.
For years now, thermal imaging cameras have come in handy as a diagnostic tool for horses, measuring the infrared heat given off to detect possible areas of concern. Areas of greater heat can be signs of inflammation and injury, while locations with a significant decrease in heat
also can be a red flag. These thermal imaging cameras also can be used to detect if a horse is in danger of overheating after a workout or race.
The EQUETOM scanner can scan the entire body of a horse in less than two minutes, producing detailed three-dimensional and four-dimensional scans to detect problems, including fractures.
In the world of horse racing, alternative treatments can save lives. Scientists have been working on ways to implement 3D printing in the production of splints, casts, and even prosthetics to aid horses who suffer major leg injuries—up to and including a broken leg, which usually leads to a racehorse being euthanized.
104 SPEEDHORSE January 2021
Trackener can monitor a wide variety of aspects in the day-to-day life of a horse. The app provides information on the nearest veterinary office, where to buy high-quality feed, and even measures the horse’s grazing.