Topic:Carpal Joint
The carpal joint in horses, also known as the knee, is a complex structure composed of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and synovial fluid that facilitates movement and weight-bearing in the forelimb. It consists of three main articulations: the radiocarpal joint, the midcarpal joint, and the carpometacarpal joint. These articulations are supported by a series of ligaments and tendons that provide stability and flexibility. The carpal joint is susceptible to various conditions such as osteoarthritis, fractures, and synovitis, which can affect the horse's mobility and performance. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the anatomy, biomechanics, common disorders, diagnostic techniques, and treatment options related to the carpal joint in horses.
Identification of an ossicle associated with the palmar aspect of the carpus in the horse. An ossicle associated with the palmar aspect of the carpus is described in five horses. The size of the ossicle varied from 3 x 4 mm to approximately 12 x 10 mm. The ossicles were located at the junction of the proximal and distal rows of carpal bones, between the palmaromedial aspect of the fourth carpal bone and the ulnar carpal bone. In 3 horses they were bilateral, in one horse unilateral, and only one limb was examined in the remaining horse. In all horses it was an incidental finding and not regarded to be a pathologic entity.
Arthroscopic subchondral bone plate microfracture technique augments healing of large chondral defects in the radial carpal bone and medial femoral condyle of horses. To evaluate the effect of arthroscopic subchondral bone microfracture on healing of large chondral defects in horses. Methods: Short- (4 months) and long-term (12 months) in vivo experimental chondral defect model. Methods: 10 horses, aged 2 to 5 years. Methods: Each horse had a 1 cm2 full-thickness chondral defect created in both radial carpal bones and both medial femoral condyles. One carpus and one femoral condyle of each horse had the subchondral bone plate under the defect perforated using an orthopedic awl. All horses were exercised, five horses were evaluated after 4 months and five ho...
Physeal growth retardation leads to correction of intracarpal angular deviations as well as physeal valgus deformity. Retrospective analysis of the radiographs of horses with carpal valgus, presented to the Iowa State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital from 1987-1996, were used to compare 2 methods of geometric analysis for finding the total angle of deviation. The pivot point angle method and the individual joint angle method were found to be comparable for determining the total angle of deviation. The individual joint angle method was used to analyse individual carpal joint angles and physis angle in joints with carpal valgus, as well as the changes that occurred in response to surgical correction. Mul...
Desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor tendon in the horse with use of a tenoscopic approach to the carpal sheath. To describe a tenoscopic approach to the carpal sheath for desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor tendon. Methods: The surgical procedure was developed with use of normal forelimbs from equine cadavers and experimental horses. Methods: Twelve equine cadaveric forelimbs, 4 forelimbs from 2 horses anesthetized for terminal surgical laboratories, and 10 forelimbs from five experimental horses were used. Methods: The limbs were positioned lateral side up with the carpus slightly flexed. After distention of the carpal sheath, a portal was made approximately 2 cm proxi...
Histopathological findings in the medial palmar and dorsomedial intercarpal ligaments of the equine midcarpal joint. Medial palmar intercarpal ligaments (MPICL) and dorsomedial intercarpal ligaments (DMICL) from the midcarpal joints of 11 adult horses in training were examined histopathologically. These were compared with ligaments from seven horses less than 12 months of age, and 10 grossly enlarged DMICLs of adult horses. Tearing of the MPICL was observed in 15 of 22 joints from adult horses. Collagen fibre bundles of the MPICLs generally were disorganized and poorly aligned, and there were large areas of loose connective tissue. In young horses there was more parallel alignment of collagen bundles and les...
Post operative performance of racing Standardbreds treated arthroscopically for carpal chip fractures: 176 cases (1986-1993). A retrospective study of 176 Standardbred horses that had arthroscopic surgery for carpal chip fractures over a 7 year period was done in order to determine fracture location and post operative performance. Chip fractures of the proximal third carpal bone and the distal radiocarpal bone occurred with equal frequency (49.2 and 49.6% respectively), and chip fractures involving the antebrachiocarpal joint were rare. Trotters had significantly more third carpal bone lesions than radiocarpal bone lesions when compared to pacers (P = 0.0304). Seventy-four per cent of horses made at least one start f...
Effects of 6alpha-methylprednisolone acetate on an equine osteochondral fragment exercise model. To determine effects of intra-articularly administered 6alpha-methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) in exercised horses with carpal osteochondral fragmentation. Methods: 18 horses: 3 groups of 6 each. Methods: An osteochondral (chip) fragment was created in 1 randomly chosen middle carpal joint of each horse. Polyionic fluid (PF) was injected into both middle carpal joints of horses in the control group. In horses of the MPA-control group, MPA was injected into the middle carpal joint without an osteochondral fragment; a similar volume of PF was injected into the contralateral middle carpal joint. ...
The accuracy of the dorsoproximal-dorsodistal projection in assessing third carpal bone sclerosis in standardbred trotters. Thirty-five carpal joints from 20 standardbred trotters, age 1 to 7 years, all euthanized for nonorthopedic reasons, were examined to investigate the correlation between assessments of subchondral bone sclerosis in the third carpal bone from radiographs in the dorsoproximal-dorsodistal (DPr-DDi) projection and histomorphometric bone volume density measurements. The agreement between assessments of sclerosis from antemortem versus postmortem radiographs was also evaluated. Bones graded as sclerotic in the DPr-DDi projection had significantly higher bone volume density values for all areas of me...
Anti-inflammatory effects of topically applied dimethyl sulfoxide gel on endotoxin-induced synovitis in horses. To evaluate the effect of topically applied dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced synovitis in the mid-carpal joint. Methods: 6 sound, healthy, adult horses (12 carpi). Methods: In a double-blinded, crossover, paired study with a 1-week washout period, mid-carpal joints were allocated to group 1 (DMSO, n = 6) or group 2 (control, n = 6). Each joint was injected with 1.3 ml (0.0125 ng/dl) of LPS to induce synovitis. For group-1 joints, DMSO gel (15 g; 90%) was applied after injection of LPS and at 12-hour intervals for 60 hours. Joints of group 2 received LPS, but not DMS...
Changes in third carpal bone articular cartilage after synovectomy in normal and inflamed joints. To determine if arthroscopic synovectomy in normal and inflamed joints had temporal or site-related effects on articular cartilage. Methods: Alterations in equine third carpal bone articular cartilage were studied at two time periods: groups 1 and 2 (6 weeks) and groups 3 and 4 (2 weeks) after synovectomy in normal (groups 2 and 4) and inflamed carpi (groups 1 and 3). Methods: 16 carpi from eight horses. Methods: Biochemical and biomechanical properties of dorsal and palmar articular cartilage were determined by radioloabeling, proteoglycan (PG) extraction, chromatography, electrophoresis, and...
Influence of exogenous hyaluronan on synthesis of hyaluronan and collagenase by equine synoviocytes. To evaluate the influence of exogenous hyaluronan (HA) on in vitro synthesis of HA and collagenase by equine synoviocytes from normal and inflamed joints. Methods: 9 adult horses. Methods: Synoviocytes for culture were taken from the middle carpal joint of 3 horses with normal joints (control) and 6 horses with osteochondral fractures (principal). Synoviocytes were propagated in monolayer cultures and were incubated with 3 commercial HA products at concentrations of 0, 200, 400, and 1,500 micrograms/ml. Newly synthesized HA was radiolabeled with [3H]glucosamine and quantified by cetylpyridiniu...
Changes in sulfation patterns of chondroitin sulfate in equine articular cartilage and synovial fluid in response to aging and osteoarthritis. To determine effects of aging on sulfation of chondroitin sulfate (CS) in articular cartilage and synovial fluid from normal equine middle carpal joints, and to determine whether CS compositional analysis can be used to assess alterations in proteoglycan turnover in degenerative cartilage obtained from horses with carpal osteochondral fractures. Methods: Carpal articular cartilage and synovial fluid from 44 cadavers with normal joints and from 16 Thoroughbred racehorses during routine carpal arthroscopic surgery. Methods: After papain/chondroitinase digestion of cartilage, CS disaccharides (un...
Tenoscopic anatomy of the equine carpal flexor synovial sheath. To describe the tenoscopic anatomy of the carpal sheath of the flexor tendons (carpal sheath) viewed from a lateral approach. Methods: Tenoscopic observation of structures within the carpal sheath subsequently confirmed by dissection. Methods: 12 equine cadaveric forelimbs. Methods: The limbs were positioned lateral side up with the carpus slightly flexed. After distention of the carpal sheath, a portal for the arthroscope was made approximately 3 cm proximal to the distal radial physis and 2.5 cm caudal to the radius between the tendons of the ulnaris lateralis and lateral digital extensor mu...
Effects of osteochondral fragmentation and intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide treatment on subchondral bone in the equine carpus. To determine the effects of osteochondral fragmentation and intra-articular corticosteroid treatment on dynamics of bone remodelling and fragility, 12 horses each had a unilateral, 8 mm osteochondral fragment created in the distal aspect of one radiocarpal bone. Six of the horses were treated in the fragmented joint, and the other 6 were treated in the nonfragmented joint with 12 mg of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) 14 and 28 days after surgery. All horses were exercised on a high-speed treadmill starting 15 days, and ending 72 days after surgery. Horses treated with TA in the fragmented joints ...
Gross and ultrasonographic anatomy of the carpal flexor tendon sheath in horses. This study was undertaken to establish the gross anatomy and the ultrasonographic appearance of the carpal digital flexor tendon sheath (carpal sheath) and the palmar carpal region in normal horses. The isolated forelimbs from 15 horses were used to study the morphology of the sheath and associated structures, including a detailed study of the location of the main blood vessels and nerves in that region. These limbs and the forelimbs of five live, sound horses were also examined ultrasonographically. The examination yielded good soft tissue detail of the tendons and ligaments, synovial and per...
Postmortem lesions in the intercarpal ligaments of the equine midcarpal joint. To determine the frequency of damage to the medial palmar intercarpal ligament (MPICL), and the range of sizes of the dorsomedial intercarpal ligament (DMICL) of the midcarpal joint in horses with no history of carpal joint disease. Methods: Cadaver limbs were collected from 72 horses with no history of carpal joint disease. One hundred and forty-two midcarpal joints were dissected and the MPICL and DMICL were examined. Measurements were made with a digital micrometer. Results: MPICL tearing was present in 88 of 96 joints from horses 2 years and older. Tears were predominantly of the dorsolate...
Effects of intravenous administration of sodium hyaluronate on carpal joints in exercising horses after arthroscopic surgery and osteochondral fragmentation. To evaluate the effects of arthroscopic surgery, osteochondral fragmentation, and treatment with IV administered hyaluronate on histologic, histochemical, and biochemical measurements within the carpal joints of horses. Methods: 12 clinically normal horses, 2 to 7 years of age. Methods: Horses had an osteochondral fragment created at the distal aspect of the radiocarpal bone of 1 randomly chosen middle carpal joint to simulate osteochondral fragmentation. Horses were treated with 40 mg of hyaluronate or saline solution (placebo) intravenously once a week for 3 consecutive weeks (days 13, 20, a...
Effects of triamcinolone acetonide on an in vivo equine osteochondral fragment exercise model. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of intra-articularly administered triamcinolone acetonide (TA) in exercised equine athletes with carpal osteochondral fragmentation. Eighteen horses were randomly assigned to each of 3 groups. An osteochondral chip fragment was created in one randomly chosen intercarpal joint of each horse. Both intercarpal joints in the placebo control group (CNT) horses were injected with intra-articular administration (IA) of polyionic fluid. Both joints in the TA control group (TA CNT) horses were treated with 12 mg of TA in the intercarpal joint wit...
The intercarpal ligaments of the equine midcarpal joint, Part 3: Clinical observations in 32 racing horses with midcarpal joint disease. To characterize the clinical features of intercarpal ligament pathology and to determine the relationship among palmar intercarpal ligament tearing, dorsomedial intercarpal ligament (DMICL) hypertrophy, and other intraarticular lesions. Methods: Prospective clinical observations. Methods: Twenty-eight thoroughbred and four standardbred race horses. Methods: Clinical, radiographic, and arthroscopic examination of 53 midcarpal joints of 32 horses. Results: Palmar intercarpal ligament tearing was observed in 30 joints of 22 horses. Some tearing of the medial palmar intercarpal ligament (MPICL) wa...
The intercarpal ligaments of the equine midcarpal joint, Part 2: The role of the palmar intercarpal ligaments in the restraint of dorsal displacement of the proximal row of carpal bones. To determine the relative contributions of the palmar intercarpal ligaments in the midcarpal joint to the restraint of dorsal displacement of the proximal row of carpal bones. Methods: A biomechanical study of cadaver equine carpi. Methods: Eight equine forelimbs from six thoroughbred horses. Methods: With joints in full extension, the radius was dorsally displaced while midcarpal joint displacement was measured. The restraining force at a joint displacement of 1.5 mm was determined from the load-displacement curve. A ligament or pair of ligaments was then cut and the testing procedure repeate...
The intercarpal ligaments of the equine midcarpal joint, Part 1: The anatomy of the palmar and dorsomedial intercarpal ligaments of the midcarpal joint. To describe in detail the structure of the medial palmar intercarpal ligament (MPICL), the lateral palmar intercarpal ligament (LPICL), and a dorsomedial intercarpal ligament (DMICL) of the equine midcarpal joint. Methods: Dissections of equine midcarpal joints. ANIMALS AND SAMPLE POPULATION: Ten carpal joints from eight thoroughbred horses. Methods: Detailed dissections of the midcarpal joint were performed, with particular attention paid to the MPICL, the LPICL, and the DMICL. The attachments and dimensions of these structures were recorded, as well as their behavior during joint movement. R...
Surgical treatment of a comminuted articular fracture of the accessory carpal bone in a thoroughbred horse. The clinical, radiographic and ultrasonographic findings in a case of a comminuted articular fracture of the accessory carpal bone of a thoroughbred chaser are described, and its surgical treatment and aftercare are detailed. The horse made an uneventful recovery and successfully returned to racing.
Kinematics and kinetics of the carpus. This study investigated the kinematics and kinetics of the carpus during the stance phase. Five Standardbred horses trotted on a treadmill at 8.9 m/s. The kinematics of the horses were filmed and hoof reaction forces (HRF) were recorded. The carpus was overextended throughout most of the stance. There were 2 periods of overextension, a more rapid period in the beginning of the stance and second directly following the first period. Maximal overextension occurred slightly before the second minimum of the braking horizontal HRF. The metacarpal and antebrachial segments rotated counter-clockwise f...
Recovery of equine forelimb function after desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon. The recovery process of the equine locomotor system after desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (AL-DDFT) was investigated by studying the movement patterns and joint moments in 6 horses before and 10 days and 6 months following surgery. Using a modified CODA-3 system the joint angles and angular velocities of the lower limb were assessed in the operated forelimb as before the operation. Simultaneously ground reaction forces were measured and joint moments calculated. At 10 days and 6 months after the operation the carpal joint started to bend earlier in the sta...
The effect of strenuous versus moderate exercise on the metabolism of proteoglycans in articular cartilage from different weight-bearing regions of the equine third carpal bone. Articular cartilage degeneration in the middle carpal joint is a common problem in racing horses. This study evaluated the effect of exercise on the in-vitro synthesis of the large aggregating proteoglycans (aggrecan) and two small proteoglycans, biglycan and decorin, in articular cartilage taken from three weight bearing regions of the third carpal bone of horses which were subjected to moderate or strenuous exercise. Twelve Standardbred horses free from clinical and radiographic disease of the middle carpal joint were subjected to an 8 week moderate exercise program. The horses were then ran...
Kinematic comparison of the leading and trailing fore- and hindlimbs at the canter. The canter is a 3 beat asymmetrical gait with a difference in timing between left and right limbs. To evaluate intralimb asymmetry at the canter, a group of 24 Dutch Warmbloods was evaluated on a treadmill (7 m/s) using a modified CODA-3 optoelectronic gait analysis system. Thirteen horses cantered in the left lead ('leading limb' group) and 11 in the right lead ('trailing limb' group) during left forelimb recordings, while 11 horses were at the left and 13 were at the right lead during left hindlimb recordings. Kinematic differences between horses from the 'leading limb' and 'trailing limb' g...
Joint moments and power in equine gait: a preliminary study. A method is described for the estimation of joint moments of force and power in the equine forelimb using S-VHS video and force platform data. Video and force data were collected for 5 walking trials in a sound Dutch Warmblood horse. The sagittal plane positional and angular data were combined with the vertical and cranio-caudal ground reaction forces to calculate net joint moments of force in the sagittal plane across the carpal, fetlock and coffin joints during the stance phase of the forelimb. The mechanical power was calculated as the product of the netjoint moment and the joint's angular ...
Determination of an effective dose of eltenac and its comparison with that of flunixin meglumine in horses after experimentally induced carpitis. To titrate a clinically effective eltenac dosage (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg of body weight), compared with vehicle only, and to compare efficacy of the most effective eltenac dosage with that of 1.1 mg of flunixin meglumine/kg. Methods: 40 healthy horses, ranked after model induction on the basis of lameness severity, were randomly assigned to 5 treatment groups, with 4 replicates of 10 horses each. Methods: On day -5, after surgical preparation of the left carpal region, 0.7 ml of Freund's complete adjuvant was injected into the intercarpal space. Horses were observed daily, from the day of car...