Surgical management of marginal tears of the suspensory ligament branches in Thoroughbred racehorses

Desmitis of the suspensory ligament branches (SLB) is a common injury in all types of sport horses [1]. Aside from a description of avulsion injuries of the dorsal (articular) surface of the SLB [2], most injuries of the SLB are grouped together and considered as a single pathological entity. A plethora of nonspecific treatment modalities similar to those employed for desmitis of the suspensory ligament body are recorded in the literature [1,3–5]. Despite current concepts associated with regenerative therapies, it is generally accepted that horses cannot recreate the exact structure of the insertion of the SLB following injury [6]. Healing consists of scar tissue and it is improbable that any type of scar tissue will be able to function in a similar fashion to the undamaged SLB [6]. Associated prognoses have been poorly documented in the literature and are mostly anecdotal ...