Barbaro continues to Improve

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by boldruler

It looks like he continues to get better.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=34258

Barbaro Gets New Bandages, Screws; Radiographs 'Look Great'
by Blood-Horse Staff
Date Posted: 7/3/2006 4:18:06 PM
Last Updated: 7/3/2006 4:18:06 PM

Edited New Bolton Center release
Doctors at New Bolton Center's George D. Widener Hospital on Monday changed the cast on the hind right leg of Barbaro for the second time since the winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) was injured in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) on May 20.
"Barbaro is back in his stall and is doing well," said chief of surgery Dean W. Richardson, who replaced the cast he had put on Barbaro on June 13. "Also, we replaced two bent screws and added three new ones across the pastern joint. His radiographs look great, and he had another successful pool recovery."

Barbaro remains in intensive care at the hospital at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

I did not read that report as positively as you did. I thought, "Uh oh, they had to go back in and do more surgery." I don't remember the possibility of additional surgery/screws ever being discussed as part of his recovery.

Also, the DRF story had this disturbing line:

"New Bolton veterinarians declined to comment further on Barbaro's second surgery and the latest cast change or whether there was cause for concern over the leg's long-term structural viability."

On the positive side, "His radiographs look great" is certainly good news.

I think Richardson was probably not being overly cautious when he gave Barbaro a 50-50 chance to make it. The additional surgery is a reminder that Barbaro is still in serious danger.

--Dunbar

[paisjpq]

i'm just glad he continues to defy the odds.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Dunbar

I did not read that report as positively as you did. I thought, "Uh oh, they had to go back in and do more surgery." I don't remember the possibility of additional surgery/screws ever being discussed as part of his recovery.

Also, the DRF story had this disturbing line:

"New Bolton veterinarians declined to comment further on Barbaro's second surgery and the latest cast change or whether there was cause for concern over the leg's long-term structural viability."

On the positive side, "His radiographs look great" is certainly good news.

I think Richardson was probably not being overly cautious when he gave Barbaro a 50-50 chance to make it. The additional surgery is a reminder that Barbaro is still in serious danger.

--Dunbar

I agree with Dunbar. The fact that they had to do more surgery can't be a good sign. That news is a lot more concerning than it is reassuring.

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I agree with Dunbar. The fact that they had to do more surgery can't be a good sign. That news is a lot more concerning than it is reassuring.

They were always going to do this. It was technically surgery, but it really was replacing screws, which they expected to do. His odds are better than 50-50 now, in fact I was told they are significantly better than 50-50.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by boldruler

They were always going to do this. It was technically surgery, but it really was replacing screws, which they expected to do. His odds are better than 50-50 now, in fact I was told they are significantly better than 50-50.

...It was technically surgery, but it really was replacing screws, which they expected to do.

Where are you getting this info that they were "always going to do this." I would have expected them to say this from the outset, if it had been a routine part of recovery.

They have publicly mentioned plans to change the cast. I don't remember anyone saying "after 2 months we are going to open up the leg and put a couple more screws in".

And "technically surgery"? What's just "technical" about it? They not only replaced screws but they added 2-3 new ones. That sounds like full-blown surgery to me. And it suggests to me that something wasn't lining up the way they'd hoped.

Originally Posted by boldruler

The reason they didn't comment to the drf on the leg's long-term structural viability is the same reason they haven't commented on it from the beginning, because they won't know for months.

It would have been an excellent time, however, for the spokesperson to say that the additional surgery was not unexpected.

I hope I'm wrong.

--Dunbar

Originally Posted by Dunbar

Where are you getting this info that they were "always going to do this." I would have expected them to say this from the outset, if it had been a routine part of recovery.

They have publicly mentioned plans to change the cast. I don't remember anyone saying "after 2 months we are going to open up the leg and put a couple more screws in".

And "technically surgery"? What's just "technical" about it? They not only replaced screws but they added 2-3 new ones. That sounds like full-blown surgery to me. And it suggests to me that something wasn't lining up the way they'd hoped.



It would have been an excellent time, however, for the spokesperson to say that the additional surgery was not unexpected.

I hope I'm wrong.

--Dunbar

I am glad you have your DVM, suggesting that something wasn't lining up without even knowing the situation. They thought after the initial surgery that it was likely that some screws would need to be replaced because they sometimes get bent. Additional screws being inserted is common too for an injury like this. The most important thing is that the radiographs look "great", especially on his left hind foot, which is really the greatest risk to him, due to laminitis. That has really been the greatest concern since the original surgery. My friend said they aren't that concerned with the right hind leg with all the screws. That injury appears to be going better than anyone thought possible.

[zippyneedsawin]

Glad to hear the big guy continues to be doing well. Can't wait for the day he can walk out there!!

Originally Posted by Dunbar

Where are you getting this info that they were "always going to do this." I would have expected them to say this from the outset, if it had been a routine part of recovery.

They have publicly mentioned plans to change the cast. I don't remember anyone saying "after 2 months we are going to open up the leg and put a couple more screws in".

And "technically surgery"? What's just "technical" about it? They not only replaced screws but they added 2-3 new ones. That sounds like full-blown surgery to me. And it suggests to me that something wasn't lining up the way they'd hoped.



It would have been an excellent time, however, for the spokesperson to say that the additional surgery was not unexpected.

I hope I'm wrong.

--Dunbar

If you don't believe where I got my information from that they were always going to do it, read the drf article i posted. As for "techinically" surgery, read the article too. It explains what I meant. "All this surgery was done under fluoroscopic control, using little, small incisions, so it wasn't like you were opening the leg back up or anything," Richardson said. "These were done through one-centimeter incisions, so tiny incisions." The media was just a day or two behind the information that the people connected to the horse and New Bolton already knew.

[GenuineRisk]

And here's a bright thought-- no matter the outcome (but please, please, please, may it be good)-- the doctors are learning a lot from this whole experience, which means horses after Barbaro will benefit from the knowledge gained during these months. Yay for hands-on research!

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

And here's a bright thought-- no matter the outcome (but please, please, please, may it be good)-- the doctors are learning a lot from this whole experience, which means horses after Barbaro will benefit from the knowledge gained during these months. Yay for hands-on research!

The money, public and private, they have gotten at New Bolton as a result of this entire process has been a huge boost. The issue I had was I posted a story about what happened, and a few people here decided to comment with completely inaccurate information. That information happened to be negative too, so people should think twice before posting completely inaccurate negative information.

Originally Posted by Dunbar

I did not read that report as positively as you did. I thought, "Uh oh, they had to go back in and do more surgery." I don't remember the possibility of additional surgery/screws ever being discussed as part of his recovery.

Also, the DRF story had this disturbing line:

"New Bolton veterinarians declined to comment further on Barbaro's second surgery and the latest cast change or whether there was cause for concern over the leg's long-term structural viability."

On the positive side, "His radiographs look great" is certainly good news.

I think Richardson was probably not being overly cautious when he gave Barbaro a 50-50 chance to make it. The additional surgery is a reminder that Barbaro is still in serious danger.

--Dunbar

The Jacksons were told he continues to make excellent progress. The replacement of screws and the cast change have always been part of the process. The surgery was expected. The important thing is that his radiographs continue to look good. I'm no expert but I was told by someone close to the situation that he continues to just keep getting better. The reason they didn't comment to the drf on the leg's long-term structural viability is the same reason they haven't commented on it from the beginning, because they won't know for months. This was clearly good news, not bad.