Macroscopic comparison of open Metzenbaum and ultrasound-guided fasciotomy techniques for surgical treatment of the hindlimb proximal suspensory ligament desmopathy in horses: A cadaveric anatomical study.

Ultrasound-guided fasciotomy offers significantly smaller incisions with comparable PSL decompression efficacy.

This cadaveric anatomical study compared two surgical techniques for treating proximal suspensory ligament (PSL) desmopathy in horses: open Metzenbaum fasciotomy (FOM) and ultrasound-guided fasciotomy (FUG). Ten adult equine hindlimbs were paired, with each horse contributing one limb to each technique. A single surgeon performed all procedures, and a blinded examiner recorded incision measurements following dissection. Both techniques successfully induced intraligamentous splitting (ILS) for PSL decompression while preserving the deep branch of the lateral plantar nerve. FUG demonstrated significantly smaller incisions across all parameters: 74% shorter skin incisions (1.28 vs 5.02 cm), 21% shorter fascial incisions (4.39 vs 5.54 cm), and 18% shorter ILS (4.37 vs 5.33 cm). These differences were statistically significant (p < .0001). While both techniques produced unavoidable ILS, FUG limited the extent of soft-tissue disruption. The findings support FUG as a safer, less invasive alternative for chronic PSL desmopathy treatment, maintaining comparable anatomical efficacy with reduced surgical trauma and improved tissue preservation.

This summary was distilled by AI and may occasionally misinterpret data. Confirm critical details with the primary literature before clinical application.