Management of rostral mandibular fracture with cerclage wire in the horse.

When a horse breaks the lower jaw the surgical intervention usually include repairs with screws and plates but with a downside of postoperative complications, but a new method has been described that uses cerclage wires to hold the jaw with no side effects. The study documented in the veterinary research forum explains the procedure by a team of Iranian doctors which showcases the surgical treatment and unique management of rostral mandibular fracture with cerclage wire in a horse. Hadi Naddaf, DVM, DVSc, of the Department of Clinical Sciences in the Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz Faculty of Veterinary Medicine stated that the technique used in the study is really easier than others, as it can be accomplished with less handling of bone and by creating only two holes. The technique he developed was designed for transverse fractures of the rostral portion of the mandible or maxilla/premaxillae area of the mouth in the interdental space (essentially, the front part of the jaw just under the front teeth). Traditionally, surgeons repair such fractures using lag-screw fixation, applying an internal or external acrylic prosthesis, or using dynamic compression plating and wiring. These procedures are not only complex but also frequently associated with post-surgical complications. Horses can experience tooth loss, malocclusion (bad alignment of the teeth for chewing), osteomyelitis (bone infection), sequestration (death of part of the bone), and chronic discharge. The technique used in this study had no such complications; Naddaf and his fellow researchers threaded a cerclage wire through two holes in the jaw bone to close a 3-year-old Arabian’s mandibular fracture. The post operative care was as follows ;1) horse received antibiotic 2) anti-inflammatory therapy but did not need any stall rest or specific exercise program.3) diet was strictly liquid (energy-glucose mix) for the first five days followed by a 20-day diet of semi-solid food, mainly bran mash. 4) Handlers washed out the mouth daily to keep it clean from food residue, and surgeons removed the wires after six weeks. The major advantage of the procedure aside the simplicity is the fact that hospitalization is not required and there is no need for an exercise program