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  Discussion on Research Study: Prognosing gastronemius rupture in racing foals
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DrO

Posted on Monday, Nov 30, 2009 - 9:51 am:

Though the research was not conclusive it strongly suggests that uncomplicated gastrocnemius rupture cases have a good prognosis for future athletic endeavors. However foals with concurrent disease that may have contributed to the rupture had a poorer prognosis. Though this is not well explained I presume this is do to the other disease overwhelming the foal or leading to poorer healing.
DrO

Equine Vet J. 2009 Jul;41(6):541-6.
Management and assessment of prognosis after gastrocnemius disruption in Thoroughbred foals: 28 cases (1993-2007).

Tull TM, Woodie JB, Ruggles AJ, Reimer JR, Embertson RM, Hopper SA, Bramlage LR.

Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, PO Box 12070, 2150 Georgetown Road, Lexington, Kentucky 40580, USA.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Few studies have evaluated the athletic prognosis of foals affected by gastrocnemius disruption. OBJECTIVE: To examine the diagnosis and management of gastrocnemius disruption in Thoroughbred (TB) foals, determine short-term survival rate and assess future racing performance. The hypothesis was that Thoroughbred foals with gastrocnemius disruption are able to perform as racehorses comparably to their age matched maternal siblings. METHODS: The medical records of foals diagnosed with gastrocnemius muscle disruption were reviewed. Information on training and racing was acquired from published works and race records. Paired t tests were utilised to compare performance variables of affected racehorses to their maternal siblings in starts, earnings and earnings/start for their 2- and 3-year-old racing seasons. Fisher's exact tests were employed to determine the association between sex, limb affected, age on admission, degree of caudal reciprocal apparatus dysfunction, concurrent disease, antibiotic therapy, complications, abscess formation and likelihood of entering training or starting a race. RESULTS: Sample size was too small to detect significant differences in performance variables between affected horses and controls. Of 28 foals, 17 (61%) presented with concomitant illness; foals without concurrent disease were more likely to achieve race training or start a race (P = 0.04); 23 (82%) were short-term survivors defined as survival to discharge. Of these 23 survivors, 7 were aged <2 years at the time of the study. Eighty-one percent (13/16) of the survivors that were of racing age were in training or had started a race. CONCLUSIONS: In this population, 82% of TB foals affected with gastrocnemius disruption were able to achieve training or start a race. Foals presenting for gastrocnemius disruption have a high prevalence of concurrent disease processes. Potential relevance: The assessment of athletic prognosis and treatment complications provides useful information to clinicians treating gastrocnemius muscle disruption in foals and making recommendations to clientele.
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