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Recumbency following diagnostic analgesia of the sacroiliac joint regions: 15 horses
Author(s) -
Nagy A.,
Dyson S.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
equine veterinary education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.304
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 2042-3292
pISSN - 0957-7734
DOI - 10.1111/eve.13176
Subject(s) - medicine , lameness , horse , joint pain , anesthesia , local anaesthetic , surgery , physical therapy , paleontology , biology
Summary Sacroiliac ( SI ) joint region pain is relatively common in sports horses and diagnosis is ideally confirmed by diagnostic analgesia ( SI joint region blocks). Anecdotal reports describe complications following SI joint region blocks, but there is no detailed published information. Our aim was to document a series of horses that became recumbent following SI joint region blocks. Clinicians were asked to participate via the e‐mail list of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation and by contacting clinicians known to the authors to investigate poor performance and lameness in sports horses. Horses (n = 15) were included if they became recumbent following SI joint region blocks, with or without using other substances in addition to local anaesthetic solution. Data on the clinicians’ experience, injection technique, clinical findings before and while the horse was recumbent and the outcome were collected in an online questionnaire. The clinicians’ experience and injection techniques varied. In three horses corticosteroids, with or without pitcher plant extract, were also injected with the local anaesthetic solution. In 14 horses, the injection(s) were performed at a clinic or hospital; 13 horses were injected in stocks. Seven horses were sedated for the procedure. Fourteen horses became recumbent within 10 min and one within 20 min. While recumbent, seven horses were sedated and six anaesthetised. Fourteen horses stood up at a mean time of 3.8 h after becoming recumbent; additional information was available for 13 horses, all of which made a complete recovery. Three horses suffered temporary complications (pneumonia related to intubation, abrasions from a sling and radial nerve dysfunction associated with slinging). One horse was euthanised after 3 days because of failure to regain hindlimb function. In conclusion, recumbency following diagnostic analgesia of the SI joint regions can occur, but in the majority of horses, it has no long‐term consequences.