Deep digital flexor tenotomy provides pain relief and clinical comfort in horses with chronic laminitis.

DDFT provides significant pain relief in select chronic laminitis cases failing medical management.

This retrospective study evaluated deep digital flexor tenotomy (DDFT) outcomes in 871 horses with chronic laminitis treated at the University of Pennsylvania between 2010 and 2022, with 8% undergoing surgical intervention. Multivariable Poisson regression analysis revealed that complications involving the third phalanx increased by 16% annually with advancing age. Horses receiving DDFT demonstrated a 20-fold improvement in clinical outcomes at 3-6 months post-surgery compared to non-surgical controls. The research highlights the importance of careful patient selection for DDFT as a salvage procedure in chronic laminitis cases, particularly when conservative medical and farriery management fails. While outcomes in the literature remain inconsistent, this study supports DDFT combined with corrective shoeing as a viable option for select chronic laminitis cases. Results provide evidence-based guidance for clinicians regarding surgical candidacy criteria and timing of intervention, emphasizing the need for rigorous case selection to maximize therapeutic success and minimize complications in this challenging equine population.

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