Regional Veterinary Surgery

Fracture of the horn

FRACTURE OF HORN

Etiology

• External violence.  Usually oblique fracture and broken surface will be irregular.

Classification

• Complete fracture: fracture of the horn through its full thickness.
• Incomplete fractures: Only a part of horn is fractured.
• Fracture near the tip of horn.
• Fracture at the middle of horn.
• Fracture at the base of horn.

Clinical Signs

• Presence of an open wound and bleeding from the part and from affected side nostril are the signs

Treatment 

• Treatment option depends on the type of fracture 
• For incomplete fractures or fracture at the tip of horn immobilization using plaster of paris is recommended
• For fractures at middle third or lower third of horn  stabilisation is not possible. So amputation is done below the level of fracture. Control hemorrhage with Tr Benzoin and bandage.
• For fracture at lower third of horn amputation by flap method is advocated.

Horn amputation

Surgical procedure

• The amputatin is carried out through the frontal bone below the base of the horn after flapping the skin forwards and backwards in two halves by a long elliptical incisio extending from the nuchal crest to the frontal ridge. 
• The horn is amputated with an axe blade; bleeding is controlled. 
• The skin flaps are sutured in apposition with interrupte sutures.

Complications 

• Empyema (pus) in frontal sinus.