Bilateral Rupture of the Palmar Carpal Ligament in a Horse Suffering from Acute Diaphragmatic Hernia

A 20-year-old Argentinian gelding was evaluated for sudden weakness, muscular tremors, tachypnea, and reluctance to move. On admission, a mild bilateral hyperextension of the carpi was noticed. On the basis of the clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic findings, a diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia was made. During confinement, the hyperextension of the carpi worsened. Because radiographic examination of both carpi revealed palmar-lateral diastasis of the accessory carpal bone, bilateral rupture of the palmar carpal ligament (PCL) was suspected. Gross pathology confirmed the diaphragmatic hernia and the bilateral rupture of the PCL. Rupture of a PCL in a horse has been previously described, and conformation of the forelimb of that horse was similar to that of the horse in the case described in this article.