Originally Posted by paisjpq

an excerpt from an article in the horse last summer....but I wouldn't go imagining that this would be possible for Barbaro...his broken leg would not be able to endure the recovery and adaptation of removing the laminitic foot.



Q. How many amputations have you performed?
Redden: I've done 44 procedures to date.
Grant: I have done over 30.

Q. How many have been successful?
Redden: Eight to 10 cases have been quite successful; two front limb amputations, the others rear limb amputations.
Grant: I had two who did not adapt to the temporary prosthesis immediately following surgery and had to be euthanatized. I had one Thoroughbred stallion with a hind leg who bred live cover for two years, then died from a perforated gastric ulcer. Two Thoroughbred mares did well, one had a hind limb prosthesis who aborted twins and died from hemorrhage. The other mare with a hind leg prosthesis survived three years. She never carried a foal. A quarter Horse stallion survived for six years with a front leg amputation. A Morgan mare with a front leg prosthesis survived for more than six years. And a pony who lived more than 20 years with a prosthetic front leg.

Q. What is the lifespan on an amputee?
Redden: My oldest patient, Josie, has had her prosthetic since February 1992. She is low maintenance and stays out in a large paddock 24/7. A stallion with his hind limb amputated just below the hock remains healthy and covers his mares live. He lost his hind leg more than 10 years ago. The frog graft has offered them a tough stump pad, which has served them well (more on fro grafts in a moment).
Grant: The smaller horses seem to live longer.
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle....kw=prosthetics