Barbaro fractures leg in Preakness

**RICHARD** · 05-22-2006, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by Grace

Post-op X-Ray -

Thanks for posting that pic.

I would really like to know who made the plate and screws.

Synthes is the company that makes the human stuff and I was very interested to see if the adapted human stuff for horses.

The screws are stainless steel and have a special driver to set them.

One small screw for a human runs about 25-40 dolars last time I checked!

**Grace** · 05-22-2006, 08:12 PM

I, also, found it extremely interesting. Back in 1995 I had a plate and 7 screws put in my right ankle. The plate and six of the screws were removed a year later - the plate is now on my key ring.

On Barbaro's X-Ray, you can see a couple of small pieces of bone that are just 'there', not screwed or anything. I had a few like that, and eventually new callus formed and the pieces were integrated with the rest of the bone.

**Karen** · 05-22-2006, 08:46 PM

They say he has about a fifty-fifty chance of survival, so I am guardedly optimistic. He's a beautiful horse, and the jockey is to be commended as much as possible.

In a way, I almost feel sorry for the horse who won, because no one will even remember his race, just that this is the race when Barbara broke his leg.

**Vela** · 05-22-2006, 09:07 PM

I agree, Karen, nobody even really cared that Bernardini ran the race of his life. I am trying to be hopeful that he doesn't have any major setbacks, but he is ahead of the eight ball at the moment. He is eating and is able to get himself up and down by himself without a sling so that's good news. If he can beat the laminitis and possible infection (which he has better odds of beating due to the fact it wasn't compounded on the track) then hopefully he can at least be pasture sound to enjoy a good life. Here's keeping fingers crossed that he comes out on top of the 50/50.

**Suki Wingy** · 05-22-2006, 11:31 PM

What happened to him is similar to what happened to my aunt;s horse durring hunting, and he's now a wonderful mount on the flat. Poor baby, I didn't see it because I forgot it was on. (I NEED to sign up to get reminder emails of when big races will be on TV if anyone knows where I can sign up)
I can't belive he kept running,

my baby wouldn't. I horse like that only comes around once in a blue moon. Thank god he's a fighter.

**RICHARD** · 05-23-2006, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Karen

just that this is the race when Barbara broke his leg.

**Tralee** · 05-23-2006, 07:22 PM

You can watch the race here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkg_g...search=barbaro

and Barbaro breaking through the gate before the race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJOM8...search=barbaro

**todd** · 05-23-2006, 09:25 PM

what sad news

**Grace** · 05-24-2006, 06:14 AM

Originally Posted by RICHARD

I would really like to know who made the plate and screws.

Synthes is the company that makes the human stuff and I was very interested to see if the adapted human stuff for horses.

Same company, Richard. I found this article - in the Elmira, NY Star-Gazette.

Big Flats' Synthes plays role in Barbaro's healing
Company made plate used to repair champion race horse's broken leg.
By G. JEFFREY AARON
Star-Gazette
May 24, 2006

The stainless steel bone plate used to repair Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's right hind leg -- broken during Saturday's running of the Preakness -- was made at the Synthes plant in Big Flats.

"The employees are proud to know that they were able to play a part in giving Barbaro a chance to survive his injury," Ronald Lerner, general manager of plant wrote in an e-mail to the Star-Gazette.

"We often hear of injuries to people we know who are treated with our implants and the same sense of pride felt by the Synthes employees is a motivating factor in the excellent quality built into our products."

The plant produced the locking compression plate used to repair the horse's right rear leg.

The plates and screws used on the thoroughbred are widely used in human hospitals around the world. The plate - made from stainless steel using a formula a body will tolerate -- used for Barbaro's ankle would be appropriate for a large adult's thigh bone, according to Christopher Scholl, the director of the company's Vet Division.

The goal of the operation was to have the bone fragments heal and fuse the horse's ankle in a fixed position.

In performing the operation, veterinarian Dr. Dean Richardson put back together as many of the large bone fragments as possible using the plate and individual screws, which were made in Synthes plants in Colorado and Switzerland. The plate now acts to carry the horse's weight while the bone heals.

The locking compression plate is a relatively new technology developed by Synthes and the AO ASIF surgeon group.

The novel feature of the implants are that the screws lock into the bone plate via threads in the screw head.

The process provides a rigid implant that can withstand larger weight loads.

It was introduced in 2000 for humans and Richardson was one of the first veterinary surgeons to try the new technology in horses, Scholl wrote.

**Vela** · 05-30-2006, 03:42 PM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13036999/

**gemini9961** · 05-30-2006, 03:49 PM

Awesome news.

I read the other day he was doing well and seeing now he's had an incredible week is great.

**ramanth** · 05-30-2006, 03:57 PM

Fingers still crossed for Barbaro!

**K9soul** · 06-08-2006, 10:19 PM

I've been working on a tribute to Barbaro that I finished tonight.. I thought I'd throw up a link here in case anyone would like to see it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yf3trTH49Q

**Vela** · 06-08-2006, 10:27 PM

I saw it! about eight times...Thanks Jess, it's really awesome, the music is so appropriate and now I have to go watch Phar Lap too. Made me smile and made me cry, I miss him.

To all of those interested, he is still doing well at this time. No new information, just waiting for him to heal to see if he can make it. So far he's facing the hurdles like the champion he is, and he has overcome them all up to now, keep him in your prayers for a recovery that will give him a happy comfortable life.