Jan 13, 2007 4:52 pm US/Central
Derby Winner Barbaro Grows Worse
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. (AP) ―
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Barbaro had another section of his left hind hoof removed Saturday. (File)
CBS
Barbaro had another section of his laminitis-stricken left hind hoof removed Saturday, and a cast was placed back on his right hind leg for additional support.
The Kentucky Derby winner had a significant setback this week in his recovery from laminitis, a painful often fatal disease, in his left hind foot. Chief surgeon Dean Richardson removed more of the hoof Saturday.
"The left hind deep digital flexor tendon was cut to help decrease the pull on the coffin bone by that tendon," Richardson said in an update issued by the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center.
"This was previously done in July, but the tendon had healed and was pulling on the coffin bone, contributing to the malalignment of the coffin bone."
Because Barbaro had become uncomfortable on his left hind hoof, Richardson put the cast back on the right hind lower limb for additional support. Barbaro has been rehabilitating at the center since shattering three bones in his right hind leg just a few strides into the Preakness on May 20.
After his injury in the Preakness, Barbaro developed severe laminitis, which is caused by uneven weight distribution in the limbs. The result was that 80 percent of his left hind hoof was removed in mid-July.
Richardson removed damaged tissue from Barbaro's left hind hoof on Tuesday, calling it a "significant setback" after nearly seven months of promising recovery from laminitis.
When he came out of surgery, Barbaro was lifted by sling and placed on a raft in a pool so he could calmly awake from the anesthetic.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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