Dorsal Spinous Process Surgery: Indications, Technique and Outcomes

The clinical signs most commonly manifested in our series of horses with painful impinging dorsal spinous processes (DSPs) were loss of hind limb action (37%), loss of jumping performance (34%) and bucking when ridden (29%). The decision to treat the condition by resection of the DSPs depends on several factors. The diagnosis is made from the results of a thorough clinical investigation, which includes detailed history taking, physical examination, observation of the horse moving in hand and under saddle, scintigraphy, radiology and diagnostic analgesia. To be a candidate for surgery the horse must have lesions that are radiographically positive and the clinical signs must be abolished by local anaesthetic infiltration into the affected sites under radiographic control. If the clinical signs have recently developed, the horse is treated conservatively with 6 month’s rest, intralesional cortisone, and physiotherapy. Surgery is recommended for cases of long duration and those for which conservative treatment has failed. The animal must have a career prospect following the postoperative convalescence period and as with any surgical treatment, the owner must understand the risks and be committed to managing the horse’s convalescence as prescribed. […]