Barbaro Update

[spindrifter]

Surgery commences for Barbaro

By Jay Privman
Daily Racing Form

Surgery for Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner who was seriously injured in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico, began shortly after 12:30 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa.

Barbaro was taken to New Bolton on Saturday night, hours after suffering multiple fractures in his right hind leg.

On Saturday, it was announced that Barbaro had a fracture to the cannon bone above the ankle, and to the long pastern bone below the ankle. But shortly before the surgery on Sunday, Dr. Dean Richardson, who was to perform the surgery at New Bolton, said there were additional, serious injuries.

Specifically, Richardson said Barbaro also had a fractured sesamoid bone, and that the right hind ankle was dislocated at the fetlock joint. Richardson said he expected the surgery to take more than three hours.

<snip>

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/triplecrown06/news/story?id=2452872

And more:

"You do not see this severe injury frequently because the fact is most horses that suffer this typically are put down on the race track," Richardson said. "This is rare."

"It's about as bad as it could be," he added. "The main thing going for the horse is a report that his skin was not broken at the time of injury. It's a testament to the care given to the team of doctors on the track and (jockey) Mr. Prado on the racetrack."

Richardson said Barbaro sustained a broken cannon bone above the ankle, a broken sesamoid bone behind the ankle and a broken long pastern bone below the ankle. The fetlock joint the ankle was dislocated.

"The aspects of the surgery will be dictated slightly by what we find," Richardson said. "But the bottom line is we will attempt to perform a fusion of that joint and to stabilize it and make it comfortable enough for him to walk on."

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=1987316

++++++++++++

Here's hoping that everything goes well for this great horse.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

1. Hope he doesn't get euthanized.

:cry:

[barb162]

7. me too!

[YellowRubberDuckie]

30. So, if he's suffering, you'd rather he just deal with it?

I hope he doesn't HAVE to get euthanized, of course, and I hope that is what you meant.
Duckie

[Beausoir]

2. This is awful. Terrible injuries. I am fearing the worst for that horse.

Poor thing.

[blue neen]

3. I hope they can save him.

Watching that yesterday was heartbreaking.

[brook]

4. For people like me who

don't know much about the anatomy of horses: some help

The diagrams helped me to see what Barbaro's injuries were and I thought you might like to see for yourselves.

We should hear something soon.

[Midlodemocrat]

5. Many years ago, my parents owned thoroughbreds

and they raced at Hialeah and Saratoga. One summer in Saratoga there was an absolutely horrific crash on the track and IIRC 4-5 horses either died or had to be put down. I won't soon forget those majestic animals lying there or writing in pain.

The tricky thing about a leg injury with a large animal like this is how to you keep the animal off it to allow it to heal?

I would bet he won't race again, but he certainly has value to his owner as a stud horse. (Which in itself is a VERY interesting thing to see)

Hoping for the best for this beautiful animal.

[spindrifter]

6. He has to be mobile very soon.

Otherwise the injured leg has problems.

++++++

Richardson said he would attempt to fuse the entire joint during the operation, which was expected to take several hours.

Barbaro's injuries must be repaired so the three-year-old can walk on the leg in a matter of days, unlike humans who can be ordered to stay in bed for several weeks, Bramlage said.

``If he has only three legs to stand on, the other paired leg will continue to fail and break down,'' he said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aEGsatzb5iMU&refer=us

+++++++++++++

As of 11 minutes ago, Barbaro was still in surgery with no update re findings or condition.

[Midlodemocrat]

10. That is exactly what happened to one of our horses.

He broke his leg, and they couldn't get him to stop favoring it, so he broke the other back leg and had to be put down.


:cry:

Their legs are so astonishingly fragile, it is a wonder this doesn't happen more often.

[SoCalDem]

8. Isn;t he a gelding? I thought I heard that somewhere?

I wish they would just find a home for him somewhere..even if he limps.. It's tragic to kill a beautiful animal who was just doing what his humans made him do :(

[Midlodemocrat]

9. Is he? That would surprise me.

A horse that young who had done that well...:shrug:

I hadn't heard that either.

[spindrifter]

11. He is not a gelding--his

value now is for stud service.

[SoCalDem]

12. That's a plus for his survival..whew!

Since he's never going to race again, surely it's not too bad if he limps.. Let the poor darling live :)

[u4ic]

15. I don't even think that's possible

considering how horrible the injuries are...breeding puts a lot of strain on the hind legs of a stallion.

There were more injuries than 2 breaks...the sesamoid is broken and a dislocated fetlock.

He would try to be saved because the owners love the horse, but he would most likely be put out to pasture to live out his days. I hope that's possible.

[spindrifter]

17. Uh-- there's more than one way to

breed a horse...

[spindrifter]

18. A spokesperson for the

hospital says the surgery is nearing completion. Here's hoping.

[spindrifter]

24. Recovery in pool anticipated:

If the surgery is successful, Barbaro will be lowered into a large swimming pool before he is awakened - part of New Bolton's renowned recovery system that minimizes injury risk. The horse is fitted with a sling on the operating table, placed on a raft and lowered into the water, allowing it to safely flail until fully conscious.

After about an hour the horse is transported via monorail back to the stable. Richardson "anticipated the horse would have a pool recovery," Sweeney said.

http://www.forbes.com/technology/ebusiness/feeds/ap/2006/05/21/ap2761813.html

+++++++++

Wow, this is really amazing! I wonder how much of this has transferability to human bone surgery. It seems as though the next great hurdle will be post-op management.

[u4ic]

19. The Jockey Club doesn't allow AI

is that what you're referring to?

[havocmom]

25. Could he be used to provide semen for insemination?

Do horse breeders do AI?

[jberryhill]

41. Running with a pack of horses...

...is what horses love to do.

[jpgray]

13. That'll be some fast drying glue

:patriot:

(yeah yeah I know)

[Bossy Monkey]

14. 5:10 pm EDT ESPN News: Still in surgery, no further update n/t

[mvd]

16. This is such a tragedy

Now I wish they would have disqualified him after his early start. I hope money didn't go into that decision. I am sending good vibes, and hope Barbaro can at least live a full life without much pain. Really heartbreaking. :-(

[Coventina]

20. From the Washington Post article:

For a sport that struggles to attract new fans and retain its old ones, the events at Pimlico could not have been more devastating. Those of us who remember Ruffian know how such a calamity can affect the national psyche. Racing was riding high in the mid-1970s after Secretariat swept the Triple Crown. And in the wake of Secretariat appeared a charismatic and electrifying fast filly. Ruffian dominated members of her own sex before her match race against Foolish Pleasure, the colt who had won the Kentucky Derby. It was a battle of the sexes that galvanized the nation, and when Ruffian snapped her leg after running an eighth of a mile, the nation recoiled in horror. After the filly was euthanized, countless would-be fans turned away from the sport.

Regardless of Barbaro's ultimate fate, many fans in 2006 will have the same reaction as their counterparts in 1975. They will find it difficult to watch a thoroughbred race or muster enthusiasm for the sport for a long, long time.

© 2006 The Washington Post Company
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12893351/


Hoping for Barbaro's survival.
:cry:

[xchrom]

21. c'mon barbaro! -- we're pulling for you!

[Kajsa]

22. Thank you for the update.

I really wish the best for Barbaro.

You could just see it on his face, yesterday.
He was in so much pain YET he really wanted to race
but just couldn't- it's like he was saying " NO- NO- this can't be happening!!"

I hope he can live and live a good life
where he can do whatever he feels up to.

The lack of pressure and expectations of him
would be a welcome change.

He has more than proven himself to be a great horse.

Now it's his time.

[wildhorses]

23. thanks for the updates

I am praying for a full recovery even though he will never be able to race again.

[spindrifter]

26. Regarding the speculation about

what caused the injury: (Much of the side talk is about the two-week period between the Preakness and the K. Derby.)

<snip>
Veterinarian Larry Bramlage compared the injury to "twisting your ankle at 40 miles per hour." He could not have been more emphatic in insisting that the short time between races had nothing to do with Barbaro's plight.

"He's lightly raced," Bramlage said. "There is no way you can make a case for the two-week gap being any factor.

"It could have happened in his first race back off a layoff or the first race of his life."

<snip>

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/horses/2006-05-21-barbaro-focus_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA

[wain]

27. 6:00pm 5/21 excellent AP report

Here's a really good piece of reporting:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060521/ap_on_sp_ot/rac_barbaro_surgery_10

so many are doing the very best they can :grouphug:

[CountAllVotes]

28. I hope Barbaro recovers!

I really hope he can get well and live a great life somewhere. This is really sad. :(

:dem: :kick:

[Coventina]

29. Update: Barbaro is now in the recovery pool

Per the link in the thread in GD.....

[spindrifter]

32. Thanks--I was just fixing dinner.

[spindrifter]

31. Wow! Bloodhorse is ahead in this race!

Here's the link for those who want to see it directly:

Edit 5: Barbaro is now in the recovery pool (7:40 pm). He has a bone plate fusing his ankle and pastern and a caste has been placed over this. Dr. Richardson described the surgery as one of the toughest he has performed. He is awakening from anesthesea in the pool, and once he completely comes around, he will be transported via sling back to his stall later this evening (it usually takes an hour from when they are placed in the pool to when they are able to return to their stall.) Bloodhorse has a great mid surgery report (6 pm) that outlines the catastrophic nature of the injury. Also, we have some pictures of Barbaro in our gallery taken at Fair Hill last saturday. Feel free to download them.

http://www.timwoolleyracing.com/news/2006/05/barbaro_fair_hi.php

[aaronbees]

33. ha, was just about to post that here too!

If anyone has the TVG tv station, they may be giving an update sometime soon ... I don't have it unfortunately :(

[spindrifter]

34. Me either.

[aaronbees]

35. ESPN has a news conference/interview on, I think

I can't see that either ... getting info from a horse racing message board :)

[spindrifter]

36. We don't have cable.

I'll have to catch up when I get back from (1) dinner with the family (2) taking the dog out.

[aaronbees]

37. Update: Barbaro on feet after surgery

Brisnet article: http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/news/article.cgi?id=4457

"Kentucky Derby (G1) hero BARBARO (Dynaformer) came out of his Sunday surgery in high spirits, according to Dr. Dean Richardson, chief of surgery at New Bolton Center. The sophomore was taken to the Center on Saturday after suffering three fractures in his right hind ankle at the beginning the Preakness S. (G1).

Richardson performed surgery to fuse the fetlock joint, where Barbaro had suffered fractures to his cannon bone above the ankle joint, to the long pastern bone located below the ankle joint and within the ankle joint itself. Metal implants were added to hold the joint together as it heals. Richardson commented that the horse's long pastern bone had been shattered into more than 20 pieces.

After the surgery, Barbaro was placed in the facility's swimming pool recovery system while coming out of the anesthesia so as not to re-injure the joint or harm himself in any other way by thrashing about. The pool system is set up so that the dark bay was lowered within a sling into a large raft-like structure on the water that has leg-like extensions coming out of the bottom, which would allow him to be in the water without getting wet. He stayed there until coming fully awake, and was then removed by the same sling system."

** rest at link **

[Bossy Monkey]

38. Here's Bloomberg

Kentucky Derby Winner Barbaro Recovering From Surgery (Update1)

May 21 (Bloomberg) -- Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, wearing a cast up to his knee, was recovering tonight at the University of Pennsylvania's George D. Widener Hospital after surgery to repair three broken bones in his leg.

``He was walking on his own,'' Chief Surgeon Dean Richardson said after more than four hours of surgery at the Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, hospital.

Trainer Michael Matz said the three-year-old colt walked into his stall and starting eating hay.

Barbaro suffered three fractures, including one to the cannon bone above the ankle, a second in the long pastern bone below the ankle and a third within the ankle joint.
(more)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aMXWufXv3XzA&refer=us

[spindrifter]

39. Barbaro emerges from full day of surgery

RICHARD ROSENBLATT
Associated Press

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro came out of a day-long surgery Sunday to repair three broken bones in his right rear leg and "practically jogged back to the stall," the colt's surgeon said.

At this moment "he is extremely comfortable in the leg," said Dr. Dean Richardson, who stressed before the marathon procedure that he's never worked on so many catastrophic injuries to one horse.

<snip>

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/horse_racing/14636075.htm

++++++

I'd like to see a transcript of the press conference, if there actually was one, as opposed to the surgeons coming out and simply making an announcement.

In any event, this looks like great news. We all recognize that there is a long road of recovery ahead.

[spindrifter]

40. Barbaro Surgery Complete; Standing in Intensive Care Unit

<snip>

Dr. Dean Richardson, who led the surgical team, said the son of Dynaformer was in surgery for about seven hours. He said one reason the procedure took so long was the amount of time to prepare the colt for surgery and the recovery time to allow the anesthesia to wear off.

"It was a long recovery because he was under anesthesia for so long. The surgery was very difficult," said Richardson, noting that the surgery is only the first step toward Barbaro being able to survive his injuries. "The severity of the fracture was very severe. The long pastern bone was in 20-plus pieces. It was not a simple fracture. The skin did not break. When they injure their limbs this severely, what you'll see when you take the bandage off, it's badly damaged enough that you actually see serum and a little blood almost oozing through the skin in places it's so badly bruised. If he had white skin there, it would look all very, very discolored. He is very very badly bruised. We were able to put the appropriate implants in the leg."

<snip>

Richardson said one of his major concerns, that the blood flow in the areas of the injury had been cut off, was quickly dismissed when the doctors determined "he had good pulses in his feet, good warm periphery. When we did the procedure he had good blood supply throughout."

<snip>

http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=6972

[spindrifter]

42. You can see an X-ray here:

(if you are interested in that type of thing)

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/RAC_BARBARO_SURGERY?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=AMERICAS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[Duppers]

43. The BEST updated coverage

In reading articles all day, this is the best updated coverage I've seen.

Things can still go wrong, according to Dr. Richardson, but I'm exhaling some and rejoicing for "Babbo"! And although, I know this great horse will never race again, I can't help but think of Seabiscuit's brush with death on the track. Equestrian medicine has come a long, long way. HOORAY!!

-------------

THAT LINK ON BLOODHORSE.COM: http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=33671

Barbaro Surgery Complete; Standing in Intensive Care Unit
Date Posted: 5/21/2006 8:57:21 PM
Last Updated: 5/21/2006 10:28:03 PM