33rd Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Introduction: This is a retrospective study to review the clinical features, Computed Tomography (CT) findings, complications and outcomes of horses presented with skull fractures involving the facial bones.

Material and Methods: Medical records from the Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, United Kingdom and the Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain were reviewed to identify horses presented for head CT with a history of skull fracture involving the facial bones between 2018 and 2022.

Results: Thirteen horses met the inclusion criteria. Fractures were unilateral in 10 horses and bilateral in 3 cases. The most common facial bones involved were respectively the maxilla (11 horses), the frontal bone (5 horses) and the nasal bone (6 horses). The naso-lacrimal duct was involved in 3 horses and the infra-orbital canal in one horse. Secondary sinusitis was present in 12 of the horses with the rostral maxillary, caudal maxillary sinus and ventral conchal sinus being the most commonly affected. There was associated fracture of dental structures in 4 horses. Treatment was conservative in 7 cases while in 6 horses some minimal surgical intervention was undertaken and included removal of loose bony fragment and sinus trephine/sinoscopy in 2 cases, fragment removal and sinus flush through a Foley catheter in 3 cases and dental extraction in one case.

Conclusion: Prognosis was reported to be good to excellent in 10 horses. Among the most common complications wound dehiscence and suture periostitis were recorded.