Posted on 07/09/2006 5:33:17 PM PDT by wjersey
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro has developed "potentially serious" complications to his injured right hind leg, and underwent surgery to replace hardware and treat a new infection.
Late Saturday, the 3-year-old colt, who shattered his leg at the start of the Preakness on May 20, had the titanium plate and a number of screws replaced after developing discomfort in the leg and a "consistently" high temperature.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Dean Richardson at the University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center, where Barbaro has been recovering in the intensive care unit.
In a statement released Sunday, Richardson emphasized that the complications are "potentially serious."
"Barbaro had developed some discomfort and a consistently elevated temperature so we believed it was in his best interest to remove the hardware and thoroughly clean the site of the infection," Richardson said. "We also applied a longer cast on that leg for additional support."
It is the third procedure in less than a week for Barbaro. He had the cast on his injured leg replaced and some new screws inserted Monday, and on Wednesday another new cast was applied. Also, Barbaro is being treated for a small infection on the sole of his uninjured left hind hoof, according to the hospital.
Richardson said Barbaro's main fracture is healing well, but the pastern joint _ a joint above the hoof _ continues to be a concern. The joint was stabilized with "new implants and a fresh bone graft."
Barbaro took longer to recover from the anesthesia from this latest procedure, Richardson said. But he said the colt was back in his stall and receiving pain medication, antibiotics and "other supportive care."
Barbaro's owners and trainer continue to visit twice daily, the statement said.
Were I a Christian, I'd think that sacrilege.
With so much human suffering in the world, that I should dedicate prayer to a horse that isn't even mine? That doesn't even pull a plow?
Though perhaps a short one that the animal might not suffer. But so a horse might breed?
No thanks.
Dear, this horse is loved by his people. THAT is the best reason to pray. It doesn't even matter if he can breed or not. His owners have already made that perfectly clear. They love him and just want to see him well.
As you were. I said an extra one, instead of you.
Thank you for that...... and for the sanity and humanity.
I hope this problem does not get worse.
I just can't bear this. He (Bobby) was on TV on the overnight news - I *think* it was a file clip, but maybe not.
Just don't like all the anesthesia and the bad time he's having with it. Please, oh, please, dear Lord, take care of this helpless beast and restore him to perfect health. He has places to go and people to nuzzle!
Heal, Barbaro, heal!
Think at least of the owners, trainer, and jockey, and of the tremendous benefits to all equines (and even human orthopedics) that come out of this sort of leading-edge treatment and research.
( . . . and why is the brute creation acknowledging the Saviour of the world sacrilege? That doesn't compute.)
Here is the update for today....
Update 188: Just spoke to Peter Brette this morning on the horse path...all things considered, it seems like Barbaro had a decent night last night (sunday night). Peter is planning to visit after work this morning so I'll try to get more details later today. Keep all your positive energy coming for Barbaro today; he will surely need it.
updated monday 7:10am
Timwoolleyracing.com
Update 189: There has been quite a lot of media coverage as a result of the surgery late saturday night (and New Bolton's press release re: the same.) Rather than rehash that content I wanted to highlight this article: New hope for Barbaro fans in 'kid brother'? (thanks Barbara) that provides some insights into the Jackson's breeding operation and Barbaro's brothers. The following are a couple of excerpts:
timwoolley.com
The article Alex is talking about is here:
http://www.dailylocal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16901506&BRD=1671&PAG=461&dept_id=17782&rfi=6
YES
The Barbaro Buzz...
Updates on Barbaro's Condition
http://www.vet.upenn.edu/newsandevents/news/Barbaro.htm
Here is another update for today. Make sure you also go to the addy gatetowire has because there is an update on this 6th cast that the vet put on today, plus the new abcess on the good leg.
timwoolleyracing.com
I spoke to Peter Brette a little earlier. He mentioned the new cast. He also noted the second abscess in the good hind leg (left hind) which they can now deal with (I assume they already have). This was good news as it revealed a source of discomfort. Peter (who did visit) said Bobby was standing well and munching on hay when he was leaving. I also spoke with Jeannine Edwards who attended a press conference at New Bolton. I assume content from that will be used for her ESPN bulletins we noted in update 191.
Updates from what ESPN just said, by me;
2 new smaller plates. Three hour surgery, on Saturday. The entire procedure with recovery time took 15 hours.
Posted by: Lynda at July 10, 2006 09:04 PM
oops, that's is what ESPN just said. She also said that the plates were situated in the pastern area? She said that joint above the pastern was fusing nicely, but it's the ankle joint that is having more problems.
Posted by: Lynda at July 10, 2006 09:08 PM
Michael Matz told Jeanine Edwards that Barbaro was very physically tired on Sunday. I dont think they are going to be able to do this much more often. The plates and many of the screws were infected with whatever the infection was that was in his leg. He also had another abcess in his good foot.
http://www.vet.upenn.edu/newsandevents/news/Barbaro_Update7-10.htm
July 10, 2006
KENNETT SQUARE, PA – After evaluating Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro this morning, Dr. Dean Richardson, Chief of Surgery, replaced the cast on the colt’s injured hind leg for a sixth time. “The long leg cast was replaced with a short leg cast this morning. This was done with Barbaro in a sling and only under mild sedation,” said Dr. Richardson. “The long cast was used as extra support during the anesthetic recovery phase. It is much easier for him to move around his stall and get up and down with a short cast. We also found and treated an abscess in his left hind foot that was bothering him.”
Barbaro spent a comfortable night and is eating well after surgery to stabilize the pastern joint this weekend. “We’re continuing his pain medication, antibiotics and other supportive care,” said Dr. Richardson. “He appears more comfortable today and has had a normal temperature, heart rate and overall attitude.”
Barbaro continues to be monitored closely in the Intensive Care Unit of the George D. Widener Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center.
Comments from Jeannine Edwards from ESPN:
Update 198: Jeannine Edwards has posted a comment after her afternoon at New Bolton Center covering Barbaro for ESPN. I copy it here in full (thanks Jeannine):
We spent the afternoon trying to get the latest info on Barbaro. I spoke with Michael Matz on the phone.... he was just leaving New Bolton around 1:45pm. He said it was a long night Sat. night... Dr. Richardson later told me from start to finish the entire ordeal was about 15 hours. They both described Barbaro's recovery this time around as "long and grueling". Michael said they had put the longer, full cast on and that Barbaro wasn't handling it too well. (Thus the decision to remove it earlier today.) For the first time in all of this, Barbaro had been in a sling... they were taking no chances. Michael said it's been a long, trying week and that it was especially difficult for him to see Barbaro in pain, but that he was encouraged to see him feeling better and looking brighter today. After my conversation with Michael, Dr. Richardson came out for an inpromtu press "conference", I say it that way because there only 3 or 4 of us there. He said Barbaro had exhibited changes in his condition, that he had a persistent fever, and that his comfort had diminished in both hind legs. His pastern joint is infected (not good) but the primary fractures (in the cannon bone and sesamoids) are healing well. They decided to remove the 16" plate and some of the screws because all of this hardware was infected. They put in 2 smaller plates and new screws, and did a new bone graft to aid in bone healing in the pastern... which didn't have much bone left after the injury (many smaller fragments had been removed.) They finally were able to drain the abcess from his left hind foot, so that should make him more comfortable. Richardson called these "serious complications" and that it's "definitely a setback". As I said earlier, Michael confirmed to me that the Jacksons have postponed a trip to Africa. When asked if the subject of euthanasia had come up at all over the weekend, Richardson said "We're nowhere close to that... we haven't even contemplated that... not even close to calling it a day with Barbaro." So that's a good sign. He did tell me the timing of the complications was unusual, as they would have expected infection soon after the original surgery, not 6 weeks later. His condition is "guarded", and he's still at 50/50 for survival, although 2 weeks ago his chances were at least 60/40. It's a day to day situation and he's being monitored around the clock. We then did a live report for ESPN News at 4pm, then taped reports for tonight's SportsCenters and tomorrow's Wire To Wire. This coming Sunday we have a live show (the Delaware Handicap) so we will be including a Barbaro update then as well. Ok, it's 8pm, time to grab a bite for dinner. Let's all say a prayer and hope for the best.
Jeannine
Update 197: Just saw Jeannine Edward's coverage on ESPN. She used some of the same footage we can see from the press conference noted in the CBS3 video below (Richardson press conference). She also spoke of Michael Matz and how hard is was for Michael to see Bobby in some pain again (I guess over the weekend) and that he was a little brighter today (Bobby, and I guess Michael!). My somewhat educated guess, Michael is there now, as he seems to be camping out there lately other than training hours in the morning. Jeannine also noted the Jackson's decision to cancel their trip to Africa. I am hoping Jeannine will post a comment here later tonight noting her experience at New Bolton today.
www.timwoolleyracing.com
Here's another, before I go back to read your post, LDK. I should probably ping to all this time, too.
~~~~~
Posted on Mon, Jul. 10, 2006email thisprint this
Barbaro has `very significant setback,' surgeon says
By Mike Jensen
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(MCT)
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - Barbaro's surgeon did not try to sugarcoat anything Monday, using the words "very significant setback."
"I think we're in for tough times right now," Dean Richardson, chief of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, said Monday afternoon. "I think we're going to have some tough days ahead. I'm being realistic about this. When a horse has a setback like this, it's a problem."
After Barbaro's temperature spiked to 102 degrees Saturday and the Kentucky Derby winner showed signs of discomfort, Richardson performed surgery that evening. Monday was a better day for the horse, the surgeon said.
"Right now, he's happier, has a normal heart rate, normal temperature," Richardson said, speaking to reporters at the Kennett Square facility. "He's eating like crazy - making lots of manure. He looks pretty happy today. Now, we have to see how he responds to everything that's going on."
On Saturday, the doctor had been pretty sure there was significant infection in the horse's right hind leg, and found it in his pastern joint. During the three-hour surgery that night, Richardson cleaned out the joint, then had some more tricky repair work to do: He had put in 27 screws during Barbaro's May 21 surgery after the colt suffered catastrophic fractures during the Preakness Stakes.
Monday, the horse had a sixth cast put on, his fourth cast replacement in the last week. Richardson put a shorter cast on, like the previous ones Barbaro had been wearing. The doctor had put on a longer cast, covering Barbaro's entire leg, Saturday night. That cast was designed to protect him better as he woke up.
"He's a tough horse . . . a big, strong horse that's kind of aggressive, so we put him in a full-length cast," Richardson said. "It's a more protective cast, but it's also much more cumbersome for a horse to wear. They panic a lot of times because they feel they can't move their legs. He really didn't like it very much.
"As a consequence, we spent most of the night trying to get him back standing comfortably. We literally worked on him for close to 15 hours (including the surgery) before he was back in his stall."
Since X-rays indicate that Barbaro's fractures are healing well, Richardson removed the long, 16-hole titanium plate from the leg Saturday and replaced it with a three-hole plate and a four-hole plate, including a longer screw between the plates in the pastern joint.
That is the crucial area of concern now, Richardson said.
"We're trying to fuse that joint," Richardson said. "It's not fused. The only way it's going to become comfortable is if it becomes solid. . . . These kinds of cases tend to be all or none. You've got to get the horse comfortable. He's not there right now. . . . If we can't get him comfortable, it's going to be a difficult problem."
Despite his concerns, Richardson made it clear that he was not thinking about this being near the end of any medical road, and there has not been any discussion of such a thing with Barbaro's owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, who visit daily.
"No, no, that's implying that we're close to quitting," Richardson said. "We're not at that stage. That never was even brought up as even close to a topic of conversation. . . . There's no question this is a setback, and we're going to try and address the problems."
Richardson said the cast changes and removal of bent screws earlier last week did not set off any major alarm bells. Late in the week, the horse had a low-grade elevation in his temperature, he said. By Friday, it was a full-blown fever. And the doctors monitoring him could see that Barbaro was not comfortable.
Monday, the doctors also found an abscess in Barbaro's left hind foot, his good foot, and drained it.
"Hopefully, that will make him feel better," Richardson said.
Monday's cast change represented a positive milestone because doctors were able to do it without full anesthesia, just a local sedative, with Barbaro in a sling. The doctors worked for several hours Sunday morning getting the horse used to being in the sling. He had not been willing to do it for an earlier cast change several weeks ago.
"It finally worked," Richardson said. "He finally got used to it."
After Barbaro's initial surgery, Richardson called the colt's survival "a coin flip." The surgeon improved those odds slightly in the weeks afterward. Monday, he did not put a number on any long-term prognosis.
"I consider it a very significant setback, mainly because we went six weeks without any real problems," Richardson said. "Now we've got problems."
~~~~
Prayers for this noble horse.
Reiterating something important (to me, anyway) from the last article:
" ... Monday's cast change represented a positive milestone because doctors were able to do it without full anesthesia, just a local sedative, with Barbaro in a sling. ..."
Thank heavens for small favors.
thanks for updating...I sure hope this will resolve well.
I really hate to see one of those brave and beautiful creatures suffer pain. Actually I hate to see any animal suffer pain, but dogs and horses are especially close to my heart.
OH NO! I am truly saddened.
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