Dr. Martin Vidal - Interview

BY TRACY WAGER

Dr. Martin Vidal, BVSc, MS, PhD, Diplomate ACVS, Diplomate ACVSMR Hospital Owner/Director - Cave Creek Equine Sports Medicine & Surgery Board-Certified Specialist in Equine Surgery Board-Certified Specialist in Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

Q - Your recently added the Hallmarq Standing Equine MRI system that brings the same diagnostic capability that human medicine offers to your equine clinical practice. The MRI system creates 3D visualization of fractures, bone disease, and identifies the specific cause of lameness. How is that working out?

A - We have recently added the Hallmarq standing MRI machine to our hospital to complement our imaging modalities with a scanning system that will allow us to examine the distal extremities of horses, mainly the feet, much more quickly and efficiently. With the recent hire of Dr. Lea Walker, DVM, DipACVSMR we also have a very competent veterinarian, boarded in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, who has more than a decade of experience in running this system at Dr. Mark Martinelli’s practice in Southern California. Scanning horses with the Hallmarq magnet does requires a significant learning curve before the image quality is decent enough to be diagnostic. We are committed to produce the best images that can be achieved with this magnet to provide our clients and referring veterinarians with the results they are looking for. So far we had good responses from our clients and referring veterinarians and we’re getting the answer we’re looking for. The Hallmarq machine which is predominantly used for feet and pasterns quite nicely complements our Italian ESAOTE Vet-MR Grande MRI magnet, which is capable of scanning further up the fore limbs to the carpus and up the hind limbs to stifle as well as the head and the front half of the neck. exams, which much like in human medicine are often very useful to assess the progression of the healing process.

Q - What are some of advantages of this new technology?

A - MRI scans allow us to examine both bone and soft tissues in a manner that conventional radiography and ultrasonography cannot and therefore it is complimentary to these imaging modalities. It is also capable to assess whether soft tissue injuries in particular are active or more chronic in nature and it can assess whether bone is in fact inflamed and painful which is much harder to assess on a radiograph. This type of information is invaluable for accurate treatment and prognosis which is crucial in my daily practice as a surgeon and sports medicine specialist.

Q - What type of leg injuries are you seeing a lot of?

A - By far the most common injuries that we encounter in horses that end up being scanned in our MRI machines are foot injuries. Interestingly but certainly not surprisingly, most painful feet often show multiple injuries on an MRI scan (somewhere between 4 to 6 or more). Also, many times the opposite foot is also injured even if the horse does not show signs of lameness on that limb. So, scanning both front feet is a good way to detect new injuries that may or may not yet be painful yet or old chronic injuries that may one day reinjure and may be responsive to treatment and adequate management to prevent re-injury.

Q - Who can benefit from this new Standing Equine MRI System?

A - Really anyone who has a horse with bone or soft tissue injuries in the foot, pastern and perhaps even the fetlock areas. The Hallmarq scanner will give us the opportunity to scan horses standing compared to our ESAOTE scanner for which horses will have to be anesthetized. In some cases, tissues that are located a little higher in the leg such as a suspensory ligament origin or even a hock may be also scanned by the Hallmarq magent, but that very much depends on the individual horse as many will sway a bit in response to sedation, which of course will negatively affect the scan quality. Q - Polo is a demanding very demanding equestrian sport. How do you manage your time to be an effective player? A - Great question! I struggle with that every day! It is a demanding sport because as you get better it involves managing more and more horses that need to be trained and kept in shape for the game. As with everything in life it takes a village to make it all happen and it takes a lot of my free time to further not only the horses and their condition and training level but also my own shape and hand-eye coordination skills, which is not always easy to find time for! However, I have a tremendous passion for this sport and I plan to be involved in and make time for it for the rest of my life!

Q - Does the standing MRI save the consumer money?

A - Yes, standing scans with the Hallmarq machine are cheaper because unlike with our Italian MRI magnet horses don’t have to be anesthetized. Also, the Hallmarq company extends a very attractive discount to our clients for follow-up MRI

Q - Many polo players never quit until they are too injured to play any longer. Have you had any serious injuries from playing polo?

A - I have definitely had some significant injuries as this sport can be dangerous but I am also Hallmarq Standing keenly aware of these potential dangers and try Equine MRI system to adjust my riding style to lower the risk as much as possible. That doesn’t always work, but safety, foresight and strategy as well as a healthy dose of humility are huge factors in polo!

Q - For someone interested in learning to play polo what advice can you offer?

A - Go and have fun but most importantly be mindful of your riding and budding skill limitations and be safe! Polo is one of the most exhilarating sports one can practice on the horse and it combines extreme equine and human athleticism with horsemanship, strategy and hand-eye coordination which is addicting and so amazing. Believe me, the moment your mallet connects with that little ball on the field at a significant clip you’ll be hooked forever and then polo soon becomes a way of life.

Q - You ride with a very centered, and balanced style. How did you learn to ride horses?

A - Anyone who has met me knows that I am 6’6” tall and may therefore have a hard time imagining me as an exercise rider for race horses, but that is how I spent most of my youth and part of my early twenties at the racetrack in Munich Germany. So, packaging myself onto the back of a racehorse has taught me a lot about balance. Since then I have ridden and trained horses in most English and some Western disciplines and I have developed a particular passion for working with young horses. I acquired almost all of my polo ponies from Turf Paradise here in Phoenix or other racetracks and introduced them to their second career in polo. I love the challenge of choosing the right horse and there is little more exciting than to turn a young thoroughbred into a beautiful, athletic and eager polo pony.

Dr. Martin Vidal at the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships at WestWorld