Orthopedics in horses involves the study and treatment of disorders affecting the musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. This field addresses a range of conditions, from developmental disorders and degenerative diseases to traumatic injuries. Common orthopedic issues in horses include fractures, osteoarthritis, tendonitis, and ligament injuries. Diagnostic techniques such as radiography, ultrasonography, and MRI are employed to assess these conditions. Treatment options may include surgical intervention, physical therapy, and pharmacological management. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diagnosis, treatment, and management of orthopedic conditions in equine patients.
Ortved KF, Goodale MB, Ober C, Maylin GA, Fortier LA.Orthobiologics such as autologous conditioned serum (ACS) are often used to treat joint disease in horses. Because ACS is generated from the horse's own blood, any medication administered at the time of preparation would likely be present in stored ACS, which could lead to an inadvertent positive drug test following intra-articular (IA) injection. The main objective of this study was to determine if ACS prepared from firocoxib positive horses could result in detectable plasma concentrations of the drug following IA injection. Firocoxib was administered to six horses at 0.1mg/kg PO twice at a 2...
Byron CR, Trahan RA.Osteoarthritis (OA) is a ubiquitous disease affecting many horses. The disease causes chronic pain and decreased performance for patients and great cost to owners for diagnosis and treatment. The most common treatments include systemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and intra-articular injection of corticosteroids. There is excellent support for the palliative pain relief these treatments provide; however, they do not arrest progression and may in some instances hasten advancement of disease. Orthobiologic treatments have been investigated as potential OA treatments that may not only am...
Wakuno A, Maeda T, Kodaira K, Kikuchi T, Ohta M.A three-year old Thoroughbred racehorse was anesthetized with sevoflurane and oxygen inhalation anesthesia combined with constant rate infusion (CRI) of alfaxalone-medetomidine for internal fixation of a third metacarpal bone fracture. After premedication with intravenous (IV) injections of medetomidine (6.0 µg/kg IV), butorphanol (25 µg/kg IV), and midazolam (20 µg/kg IV), anesthesia was induced with 5% guaifenesin (500 ml/head IV) followed immediately by alfaxalone (1.0 mg/kg IV). Anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane and CRIs of alfaxalone (1.0 mg/kg/hr) and medetomidine (3.0 µg/kg...
McCarrel TM.Angular limb deformities are common in foals; however, the importance of the deformity and if treatment is required depend on the degree of deformity relative to normal conformation for stage of growth, the breed and discipline expectations, age, and response to conservative therapies. This article addresses the importance of the foal conformation examination to determine which foals need surgical intervention to correct an angular deformity and when. Techniques for surgical growth retardation include the transphyseal staple, screw and wire transphyseal bridge, and transphyseal screw. Appropri...
Hunt RJ, Baker WT.In order to recognize abnormalities on the physical evaluation, it is mandatory to understand normal developmental variations of the musculoskeletal system. Many abnormalities are self-limiting and, therefore, it is important to recognize which problems require intervention for a successful outcome and which may be complicated by treatment. The importance of a complete and thorough physical evaluation cannot be overemphasized and is the most productive diagnostic tool for recognizing most abnormalities of the skeletal system whether as a component of an after-foaling examination or for lamenes...
García-López JM.Angular limb deformities are seen in young foals and are defined as lateral or medial deviations of the limb in the frontal plane distal to a particular joint. Several factors can contribute to the development of an angular limb deformity. Early assessment of the level of ossification of the cuboidal bones is critical to avoid complications long term. Although most deviations self-correct with minimal intervention other than modifications in exercise and hoof trimming, some require surgical intervention in the form of growth acceleration or retardation. This article focuses on growth augmentat...
Ortved KF.Osteochondrosis is common in young, athletic horses. Some lesions respond to conservative therapy. Surgical management is the mainstay of treatment. Arthroscopic debridement is useful in the femoropatellar joint, tarsocrural joint, fetlock joint, and shoulder joint. Debridement is associated with good outcomes, except in the shoulder joint. Osteochondrosis lesions in the elbow may be difficult to access arthroscopically, thereby transosseous debridement. Surgical management of subchondral cystic lesions of the medial femoral condyle consists of debridement, debridement with grafting, transcond...
Lange CD, Axiak Flammer S, Gerber V, Kindt D, Koch C.It appears that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is used increasingly often in horses for the assessment and treatment of suspected orthopaedic problems, especially back problems. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of CAM use for the management of orthopaedic problems in a defined population of Swiss Warmblood horses. A total of 239 owners and caretakers of horses from a pre-defined database were called by a veterinarian to participate in the survey. A standardized questionnaire was designed to determine, for each orthopaedic case, where the localization of the pr...
Coleman MC, Whitfield-Cargile C.Incomplete ossification of the cuboidal bones is a common finding in premature and dysmature foals, and possibly in foals with hypothyroidism. Radiographs of the carpus and tarsus should be performed in any high-risk foal to obtain a diagnosis. Goals of treatment include limiting weight bearing and exercise. The prognosis is guarded depending on the degree of incomplete ossification.
Drábková Z, Schramel JP, Kabeš R.To compare two methods of Bohr-Enghoff physiological dead space to tidal volume ratio (Vd/Vt) determination using a mixing chamber and an E-CAiOVX metabolic monitor. Methods: Prospective, clinical, method-comparison study. Methods: Twenty horses anaesthetized for elective orthopaedic procedures. Methods: Horses were anaesthetized with isoflurane in oxygen and the lungs were mechanically ventilated (Vt 15±2 mL kg). Arterial blood was sampled to provide arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO) for dead space calculation using a metabolic monitor. Mixed expired partial pressure of ca...
Elce YA, Laverty S, Almeida da Silveira E, Piat P, Trencart P, Ruzickova P, Reardon RJ.To estimate the frequency of undetected perforations in surgical gloves during equine surgery and to identify risk factors associated with occurrence. Methods: Observational cohort study. Methods: Surgical gloves-292 pairs. Methods: Water leak tests were performed on gloves after equine surgery to detect perforations. Fifty pairs of unused gloves were also tested. Potential risk factors were recorded. Logistic regression was used to explore associations between putative risk factors and perforation. Results: No perforations were detected in the unused gloves. Of 292 pairs of used gloves tested...
Harvey A, Kilcoyne I, Byrne BA, Nieto J.To compare synovial concentrations of amikacin following intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) with two different doses, and to compare their ability to reach target concentrations for bacterial isolates from common orthopedic conditions. Methods: Randomized crossover experiment. Methods: Six adult horses. Methods: Horses received IVRLP with 2 and 3 g of amikacin in the cephalic vein of alternate limbs (20 minutes tourniquet application and ≥14 days washout period). Amikacin concentrations were quantified in synovial fluid collected from the middle carpal and metacarpophalangeal joints...
Biedrzycki AH, Grant BG, Nemke B, Morello SL, Markel MD.OBJECTIVE To evaluate the biomechanical properties of 4 methods for fusion of the centrodistal and tarsometatarsal joints in horses and compare them among each other and with control tarsi. SAMPLE 24 sets of paired tarsi without substantial signs of osteoarthritis harvested from equine cadavers. PROCEDURES Test constructs (n = 6/type) were prepared from 1 tarsus from each pair to represent surgical drilling; 2 medially to laterally placed kerf-cut cylinders (MLKCs); a single large, dorsally applied kerf-cut cylinder (DKC); and a dorsomedially applied locking compression plate (DMLCP). Construc...
Sevane N, Dunner S, Boado A, Cañon J.Equine osteochondrosis (OC) is a frequent developmental orthopaedic disease with high economic impact on the equine industry and may lead to premature retirement of the animal as a result of chronic pain and lameness. The genetic background of OC includes different genes affecting several locations; however, these genetic associations have been tested in only one or few populations, lacking the validation in others. The aim of this study was to identify the genetic determinants of OC in the Spanish Purebred horse breed. For that purpose, we used a candidate gene approach to study the associati...
Scherrer NM, Lassaline M, Richardson DW, Stefanovski D.OBJECTIVE To determine interval (1-year) prevalence of and factors associated with colic in horses hospitalized for ocular or orthopedic disease. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. ANIMALS 105 horses with ocular disease and 197 horses with orthopedic disease admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012. PROCEDURES Medical records were reviewed to determine whether colic (abnormal behavior prompting abdominal palpation per rectum or nasogastric intubation) was observed during hospitalization. Data were collected on putative risk factors for colic, including reas...
Trencart P, Alexander K, De Lasalle J, Laverty S.To measure the minimal joint space width (mJSW) in caudocranial radiographic views of orthopedically normal femorotibial joints of horses, to compare the accuracy of measurements with those of a software program designed for humans, and to identify the ideal caudocranial radiographic projection angle for mJSW measurement. ANIMALS 12 healthy mares (22 femorotibial joints) and 3 equine cadavers (6 stifle joints). Methods: Caudocranial views of femorotibial joints were acquired in the proximodistal plane at 5°, 10°, and 15° (caudo-5°-proximal-craniodistal oblique, 10°, and 15°) and laterome...
Klopfenstein Bregger MD, Fürst AE, Kircher PR, Kluge K, Kummer M.To describe minimally-invasive lag screw osteosynthesis combined with external coaptation for the treatment of Salter-Harris type II third metacarpal and third metatarsal bone fractures. Methods: Three foals aged two weeks to four months with a Salter-Harris type II third metacarpal or third metatarsal fracture. Surgery was carried out under general anaesthesia in lateral recumbency. After fracture reduction, the metaphyseal fragment was stabilized with two cortical screws placed in lag fashion under fluoroscopic control. A cast was applied for at least two weeks. Results: All foals had a good...
Mendoza L, Lejeune JP, Caudron I, Detilleux J, Sandersen C, Deliège B, Serteyn D.Osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) is a developmental orthopedic disease caused by a failure of the endochondral ossification in epiphyseal plates and joint cartilage. This trouble may induce the presence of osteochondral fragments in the articulation, fissures or subchondral bone cysts in the growth cartilage. Occurrence of osteochondrosis is influenced by a complex interaction of different factors. Among these, the effect of the housing and the feeding of the foals during their first months of life, have been described as risk factors for the development of osteochondrosis. The aim of this stud...
Walker WT, Silverberg JL, Kawcak CE, Nelson BB, Fortier LA.To determine morphological characteristics of subchondral bone cysts (SBCs) in medial femoral condyles (MFCs) of adult horses with orthopedic disease. Methods: CT scans of 7 MFCs with SBCs from 6 adult horses. Methods: CT was used to determine the volume, surface area, and centers of the articular cyst opening and SBC in each MFC. Cysts were ordered from smallest to largest on the basis of volume. Osseous pathological characteristics of the MFC were assessed in the frontal plane. Three-dimensional distance of displacement between the center of the articular cyst opening and center of the cyst ...
Seiler GS, Campbell N, Nixon B, Tsuruta JK, Dayton PA, Jennings S, Redding WR, Lustgarten M.Vascular alterations play important roles in many orthopedic diseases such as osteoarthritis, tendonitis, and synovitis in both human and equine athletes. Understanding these alterations could enhance diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) could be a valuable method for evaluation of blood flow and perfusion of these processes in the equine distal limb, however no reports were found describing feasibility or safety of the technique. The goal of this prospective, experimental study was to describe the feasibility and safety of distal limb CEUS in a sample of si...
Easley J, Dixon PM, Reardon RJ.There are limited reports on the efficacy of functional orthodontic correction of overjet or overbite in foals. Objective: To report the outcome of using orthodontic tension bands in combination with an inclined plane biteplate in the treatment of overjet, with or without concurrent overbite, rates of correction of these 2 malocclusions and associated complications. And to examine factors associated with outcomes. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Clinical records for 73 foals treated at a single clinic, by the same surgeon were analysed. Overall change and rates of change in overje...
Lombana KG, Goodrich LR, Phillips JN, Kisiday JD, Ruple-Czerniak A, McIlwraith CW.Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are a major cause of loss of use and retirement in sport horses. The use of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMDMSCs) for healing of traumatized tissue has gained substantial favor in clinical settings and can assist healing and tissue regeneration in orthopedic injuries. There are two common sites of harvest of BMDMSCs, the sternum and the ilium. Our objective was to determine if any differences exist in BMDMSCs acquired from the sternum and the ilium. We compared the two harvest sites in their propensity to undergo multilineage differentiatio...
Waldern NM, Wiestner T, Ramseier LC, Weishaupt MA.To compare gait mechanics and limb loading in Icelandic horses tölting and trotting at equal speeds and estimate their impact on orthopedic health. Methods: 12 orthopedically normal Icelandic horses. PROCEDURES Kinetic and kinematic gait variables were simultaneously recorded as each horse was ridden at a tölt and trot on an instrumented treadmill at 3.4 m/s and 3.9 m/s. Differences between gaits were tested via 1-factor repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: Horses had a higher stride rate and lower stride impulses at a tölt than at a trot. For forelimbs at a tölt, shorter relative stance dura...
Levine DG.The first weeks of life are critical in many aspects, and the musculoskeletal system is no exception. Being able to stand and nurse within hours of life is necessary for survival. Laxity, flexural deformities, and skeletal immaturity can all make it difficult for neonates to ambulate. The increased vascularity to bones and cartilage mixed with the newly forming immune system also make neonates susceptible to infections that we rarely see in adult animals. This article concentrates on orthopedic conditions seen in the first 2 weeks of life.
Vandenberghe A, Broeckx SY, Beerts C, Seys B, Zimmerman M, Verweire I, Suls M, Spaas JH.Suspensory ligament injuries are a common injury in sport horses, especially in competing dressage horses. Because of the poor healing of chronic recalcitrant tendon injuries, this represents a major problem in the rehabilitation of sport horses and often compromises the return to the initial performance level. Stem cells are considered as a novel treatment for different pathologies in horses and humans. Autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are well known for their use in the treatment of tendinopathies; however, recent studies report a safe use of allogeneic MSCs for different orthopedic ...
Raftery AG, Morgan RA, MacFarlane PD.To compare perioperative trends in plasma colloid osmotic pressure (COP) between horses undergoing orthopedic and colic surgery. Methods: Prospective clinical study September 2009-January 2011. Methods: Veterinary university teaching hospital. Methods: Thirty-three healthy, client-owned horses presenting for orthopedic surgery (non-GI) and 85 client-owned horses presenting for emergency exploratory celiotomy (GI, gastrointestinal). Methods: None. Methods: Data relating to the horse's parameters on presentation, surgical lesion, post-operative management and survival were extracted from compute...
Young JD, Gelbs JC, Zhu DS, Gallacher SE, Sutton KM, Blaine TA.Despite the common nature of orthopaedic injuries in equestrian sports, there is no published review to specifically characterize orthopaedic injuries in equestrian athletes. Objective: To characterize orthopaedic injury patterns in equine sports-related injuries and their treatment. Methods: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: This review was performed through a PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus query (from 1978 to June 2014) in the English literature using search terms "(equine-related OR equestrian-related OR horse-related OR equestrian OR equestrians) AND (injury OR injuries)." Only...
Hammersley E, Duz M, Marshall JF.Triamcinolone is commonly used in equine practice for the treatment of orthopaedic conditions. A serious potential adverse effect of triamcinolone is laminitis. However, evidence for the risk of laminitis associated with triamcinolone use is limited. Objective: To determine the risk of laminitis within 90 days of triamcinolone administration and compare with the risk of laminitis in a veterinary-attended horse population. Methods: Retrospective study of clinical records. Methods: Text mining and data extraction was performed using content analysis software (SimStat-WordStat v.6) on a database ...
Turek B, Potyński A, Wajler C, Szara T, Czopowicz M, Drewnowska O.Diaphyseal fractures of the III metacarpal bone represent 22% of all fractures of the long bones in horses. Treatment of such cases is difficult. The most popular solution used in these types of fractures is two plates applied directly to the bone surface, but they are not applicable on contaminated and infected fractures. External fixators are quite commonly used in human medicine, although in veterinary practice there is no typical stabilizer designed for the treatment of diaphyseal fractures of the III metacarpal bone so far. In this study, an external semicircular fixator of our own design...
Peloso JG, Vogler JB, Cohen ND, Marquis P, Hilt L.To compare bony changes in the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) of racehorses with (cases) and without (controls) biaxial proximal sesamoid bone (PSB) fracture as determined by 2 grading scales applied to images of cadaveric forelimbs obtained by means of standing MRI (sMRI). Methods: Case-control study. Methods: Forelimbs from 74 Thoroughbred racehorses (21 cases and 53 controls) that were euthanized at a Florida racetrack. Methods: Both forelimbs were harvested from cases and controls. Each forelimb underwent sMRI to obtain images of the MCPJ. Two grading scales were described and used for i...
Fuerst A, Derungs S, von Rechenberg B, Auer JA, Schense J, Watson J.To describe the treatment of a subchondral bone cyst in the proximal phalanx with parathyroid hormone peptide-enriched fibrin hydrogel in a warmblood filly. The cyst was localized with computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery, then curetted and finally filled with parathyroid hormone fragment peptide 1-34 (PTH(1-34)) covalently attached to a fibrin hydrogel. The cyst healed quickly without any complications. This result supports the hypothesis that PTH(1-34) delivered locally in a fibrin hydrogel may improve the postoperative prognosis of surgical management of subchondral bone cysts in horses. S...
Thompson KN.This study was conducted to determine normal rates of growth of different skeletal segments in the thoroughbred horse. Growth of body weight and eight skeletal segments (wither height, hip height, body length, knee to pastern length, hock to pastern length, shoulder to pastern length, width of chest, depth of girth) were monitored in 106 horses (60 colts, 46 fillies) during the period from 14 to 588 d of age. Body weight gains were slightly higher (30 to 40 kg) than previously reported values. Growth in wither height and hip height were similar to previous reports. During the period measured i...
Lykkjen S, Dolvik NI, McCue ME, Rendahl AK, Mickelson JR, Røed KH.Palmar/plantar osteochondral fragments (POF) in fetlock joints commonly affect and influence the athletic performance of horses. In this study, we used the Equine SNP50 BeadChip® to perform a genome-wide association study of metatarsophalangeal POF in 176 Norwegian Standardbred trotter yearlings. Putative quantitative trait loci (QTL) for medial and/or lateral POF, and medial POF only were identified on ECA1, 2, 7, 9 and 31, whereas for lateral POF, only on ECA7, 11, 27 and X. The moderate number of QTL evidences a complex inheritance and suggests various genes controlling POF development in ...
Roland E, Stover SM, Hull ML, Dorsch K.To define a 3-dimensional (3-D) coordinate system with clear definitions of origins and axes relative to hoof anatomic features and determine whether solar surfaces of Thoroughbred racehorse hooves have geometric asymmetry in the mediolateral and dorsopalmar directions. Methods: Left forelimb hooves from 20 Thoroughbred racehorse cadavers. Methods: A right-handed 3-D coordinate axes system centered on the collateral sulci was defined for the left front hoof. Orthogonal distances of anatomic features from the dorsopalmar axis and the plane coincident with the ground were measured and compared b...
Stutz JC, Vidondo B, Ramseyer A, Maninchedda UE, Cruz AM.Therapeutic farriery is part of the management of certain orthopaedic conditions. Non-podal parameters are important as most horses shod with therapeutic shoes are expected to perform again and the choice of shoe type may be influenced by the effects they may have on gait. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the effects of three different shoe designs and unshod front feet on forelimb non-podal kinematic variables using an extremity mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU) system under conditions of treadmill and overground exercise on a soft geotextile surface at the trot. Ten so...
Price JS, Jackson B, Eastell R, Goodship AE, Blumsohn A, Wright I, Stoneham S, Lanyon LE, Russell RG.Biochemical markers of bone metabolism were analysed in serum samples obtained from 60 horses with no history of orthopaedic disease (age 3 months-20 years). Serum levels of the carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), a marker of bone formation and the pyridinoline cross linked telopeptide domain of type I collagen (ICTP), a putative marker of bone resorption, were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Serum levels of the bone specific isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase (BALP), another marker of bone formation, were measured by a wheatgerm agglutinin affinity (WGA) method. Total ...
Walliser U, Fenner A, Mohren N, Keefe T, deVries F, Rundfeldt C.The benefit of pre and post-operative administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the relief of post-operative pain and control of inflammation in horses following orthopaedic surgery has not been previously investigated in controlled clinical field trials, and the utility of such treatment is a matter of ongoing dispute. Recently the utility of post-operative pain management was emphasized. It was therefore our aim to determine the efficacy of meloxicam in horses following partial resection of fractured splint bones. This condition was selected since the limited extent of the ...
Bertone AL, Turner AS, Park RD.Correction was attempted in 27 foals (41 limbs) with angular deformities at the carpal region (35 limbs), metatarsophalangeal region (5 limbs) and distal end of the tibia (1 limb) by hemicircumferential transection of the periosteum (HCTP) and periosteal stripping (PS). Successful outcome was determined by straight limbs and soundness, which was achieved in 81.5% of the cases, with 60% of the horses in performance training. Follow-up evaluation for all foals was completed at various times after physiologic closure of the physes. In none of the limbs was the deformity overcorrected. Owners of f...
Ravanetti P, Lechartier A, Hamon M, Zucca E.In the last 30 years, several treatments have been proposed to treat subchondral cystic lesions (SCLs) but there have been no randomised studies to compare different methods and there is no consensus as to the optimal treatment. Objective: To evaluate a biocompatible absorbable implant for the treatment of SCLs in young horses in different anatomical locations. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Horses with SCLs were treated with debridement through a trans-cortical extra-articular approach and an absorbable implant was inserted in the cavity. Clinical and radiographic follow-up was...
Kuemmerle JM, Auer JA, Rademacher N, Lischer CJ, Bettschart-Wolfensberger R, Fürst AE.To describe short incomplete sagittal fractures of the proximal phalanx (type Ia P1 fractures) in horses not used for racing and report outcome. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Horses (n=10) with type Ia P1 fractures. Methods: Retrieved data of horses with type Ia P1 fractures were signalment, history and results of orthopedic examination. Radiographs were re-evaluated for position and length of the fracture line, presence of osteoarthritis or subchondral cystic lesions (SCL), periosteal new bone formation and subchondral sclerosis. Conservative treatment (n=4) included box confinement ...
Zani D, Rabbogliatti V, Ravasio G, Pettinato C, Giancamillo MD, Zani DD.The use of contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection of orthopedic pathologies in equine patients is poorly described. In few studies, enhanced MRI allowed to differentiate active lesions from chronic ones and to classify ambiguous lesions. The aim of this clinical prospective pilot study is to describe and compare the MRI lesions observed in horses with lameness localized to the foot using a single intravenous bolus dose of gadolinium contrast versus regional intraarterial bolus of contrast agent. Ten horses that underwent contrast enhanced MRI were included in the ...
Snyder JR, Pascoe JR, Hirsh DC.Positive cultures were obtained from 60 equine orthopedic cases during a 12 year period (1974-1985). These cases consisted of 34 long or cuboidal bone fractures, 13 arthrotomy/arthroscopy procedures for removal or internal fixation of a fracture, 7 proximal splint bone fractures, and 6 facial or mandibular fractures. Excluding the 13 arthrotomies, only 10 (21%) of the 47 were open fractures. Multiple organisms were isolated from 36 cases (20 long or cuboidal bone fractures, 7 splint bone fractures, 5 mandibular fractures, and 4 intra-articular fractures). Of the 142 isolates, 35 (24%) were mem...
de Preux M, Vidondo B, Koch C.To determine the influence of a purpose-built frame on the accuracy of screw placement during computer-assisted orthopedic surgery (CAOS) of the equine extremity. Methods: Experimental cadaveric study. Methods: Twenty-four paired equine cadaveric limbs obtained from seven horses. Methods: Three 4.5-mm cortex screws were inserted in lag technique in three different planes of orientation in the proximal phalanx (P1) by means of CAOS. In the study group (n = 12 limbs), the tracker was anchored on a purpose-built frame designed to stabilize the extremity. In the control group (n = 12 limbs), a con...
Watts AE, Nixon AJ.To (1) describe a caudal approach to equine medial and lateral femorotibial (FT) joints and (2) illustrate the complex anatomic detail of the caudal compartments of the lateral FT joint. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Methods: Cadaveric equine hindlimbs (n = 36; 26 horses) and 6 horses (11 hind limbs). Methods: Stifles (n = 8) were dissected and 10 FT joints were injected with silicone. Arthroscopic exploration (n = 29) was performed, followed by dissection to determine sites and structures penetrated during entry. Results: A more caudal approach to the caudal pouch of the medial FT ...
Persson-Sjodin E, Hernlund E, Pfau T, Haubro Andersen P, Holm Forsström K, Rhodin M.Quantitative gait analysis has revealed that a large proportion of horses in training, perceived as free from lameness by their owners, show movement asymmetries of equal magnitude to horses with mild clinical lameness. Whether these movement asymmetries are related to orthopaedic pain and/or pathology has yet to be further investigated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether movement asymmetries in riding horses in training are affected by anti-inflammatory treatment with meloxicam. In a crossover design, horses were treated with meloxicam or placebo for four days res...
Brighton C, Olsen E, Pfau T.Standalone 'low-cost' inertial measurement units (IMUs) could facilitate large-scale studies into establishing minimal important differences (MID) for orthopaedic deficits (lameness) in horses. We investigated accuracy and limits of agreement (LoA) after correction of magnitude-dependent differences of a standalone 6 degree-of-freedom IMU compared with an established IMU-based gait analysis system (MTx) in six horses for two anatomical landmarks (sacrum and sternum). Established symmetry measures were calculated from vertical displacement: symmetry index (SI), difference between minima (MinDif...
Peham C, Schobesberger H.Diagnosis of back problems in equine orthopedics can be a difficult task. The aim of our study was to develop a new method for estimating the stiffness of the equine back in vivo. We measured the activity of the long back muscle at two locations on both sides at thoracic vertebrae T12 and T16 of 15 horses flexing and extending their back at stance using telemetric surface electromyography, while simultaneously recording the motion of the back with a video camera system. Out of these paired data sets we computed a transfer function in the frequency domain and evaluated its capability of capturi...
Black A, Schoknecht PA, Ralston SL, Shapses SA.Biochemical markers of bone turnover provide sensitive, rapid, and noninvasive monitoring of bone resorption and formation. Serum concentrations of osteocalcin (OC) reflect rates of bone formation, and urinary concentrations of the pyridinium crosslinks pyridinoline (Pyd) and deoxypyridinoline (Dpd) are specific and sensitive markers of bone resorption. These markers are age-dependent and are used to detect and monitor changes in the rates of bone turnover in a variety of orthopedic diseases in humans and may prove to have similar application in horses. This study examined age differences and ...
Trumble TN.The first month of life is a vulnerable time for foals. They must adjust to their environment while they are still compromised immunologically, and their musculoskeletal system is rapidly growing and adjusting to stresses from an increasing amount of exercise. Therefore, if a foal is born with or acquires an abnormality or disease related to the musculoskeletal system, rapid adjustments must be made to allow the foal to grow and respond so that future athletic performance will not be compromised. Problems must be identified early, which requires thorough examinations. This article summarizes t...
Bras JJ, Lillich JD, Beard WL, Anderson DE, Armbrust LJ, Frink E, Lease K.To (1) compare the effect of a collateral ligament sparing surgical approach with an open surgical approach on mechanical properties of proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) arthrodesis, and (2) to determine the percentage of articular cartilage surface removed by transarticular (TA) drilling with different diameter drill bits. Methods: Randomized paired limb design. Methods: Cadaveric equine limbs (n=76). Methods: Cadaveric PIPJ were drilled using a 3.5, 4.5, or 5.5 mm drill bit at 80-84° to the dorsal plane to remove articular cartilage and subchondral bone from the distal articular surface...
Hogan PM, McIlwraith CW, Honnas CM, Watkins JP, Bramlage LR.Subchondral cystic lesions (SCLs) in the condyle of the third metacarpal bone (MCIII) were surgically treated in 15 horses. The median age at presentation was 18 months (range 10 months-12 years) with 10 of 15 horses less than age 2 years. The SCLs were confined to the front limbs in all cases with 2 horses having bilateral lesions. Lesions were isolated to the medial condyle(s) of MCIII in 13 of 15 horses; a cystic lesion occurred in the lateral condyle in one horse and in the sagittal ridge in one horse. One horse with bilateral lesions had an additional cystic lesion located in the right me...
Aimaletdinov A, Mindubaeva G, Khalikova S, Kabwe E, Salmakova A, Alexandrova N, Rutland C, Rizvanov A, Zakirova E.Tendon injuries are one of the most common causes of orthopedic disorders in horses. Such injuries involve a long course of treatment and recovery. The most promising method of treating these injuries is the use of recombinant proteins and gene therapy. In this work, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of plasmid DNA (pDNA) containing two species-specific coding sequences, i.e. vascular endothelial growth factor 164 (VEGF164) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), in the treatment of severe damage to the tendon of the superficial digital flexor. A pDNA construct was used to restore the damag...
Church EE, Walker AM, Wilson AM, Pfau T.Advances in gait analysis techniques have led to assessment tools that can aid in detecting and quantifying lameness; here, bilateral tubera coxae and pelvic movement during over ground locomotion are compared in order to investigate a practical method to assess hindlimb lameness in the horse. Objective: To evaluate which parameters from anatomical landmarks on trunk and proximal hindlimbs are the best indicators of degree and side of hindlimb lameness. Methods: Fifteen horses (age 11-23 years, 6 nonlame and 9 unilaterally hindlimb lame horses 1/10 to 2/10 lame) were fitted with 4 inertial sen...
Reardon RJ, Bailey R, Walmsley JP, Heller J, Lischer C.To (1) define mechanical properties in flexion, extension, and left lateral bending of cadaveric equine 4th and 5th cervical (C4-C5) articulations, (2) compare biomechanical properties of C4-C5 when stabilized with a kerf cut cylinder (KCC) compared with a ventrally placed 4.5 mm locking compression plate (LCP). Methods: In vitro biomechanical investigation. Methods: Cadaveric adult equine cervical vertebral columns (n=54). Methods: Cervical vertebrae aged by horse dentition and size measured from radiographs were divided into 3 age groups then randomly allocated to 3 groups. The C4-C5 articul...
Egenvall A, Lönnell C, Johnston C, Roepstorff L.Orthopaedic injury is the most common reason for lameness and wastage in sport and leisure horses. Studies on racehorses have shown differences in injury risk between trainers and training strategies. The aim was to study between riding school variation in orthopaedic health status by clinical examination and horses age, and control for change of examiner, in schools with previous high (n = 4) and low (n = 4) insurance utilisation. Methods: Horses (n = 99) at 8 riding schools were examined for conformation, movement in all gaits, standing flexion tests and palpation by two veterinary surgeons ...
Kornicka-Garbowska K, Groborz S, Lynda B, Galuppo L, Marycz K.Synovitis (SI) is one of the most common and serious orthopedic diseases in horses of different age, breed and sex, which contributes to the development of osteoarthritis. The burden of SI includes economic loss and represents a real challenge for current veterinary health care. At the molecular level, fibroblasts-like synoviocytes (FLS) are recognized as major cell populations involved in SI pathogenesis. In the course of SI, FLSs are losing their protective and pro-regenerative cytological features, become highly proliferative and initiate various stress signaling pathways. Fibroblast-like s...
Biedrzycki AH, Kistler HC, Perez-Jimenez EE, Morton AJ. The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical execution of a virtual surgical plan (VSP) with three-dimensional (3D) guides against a freehand approach in the equine navicular bone using an automated computer analysis technique. Methods: Eight pairs of cadaveric forelimb specimens of adult horses were used in an experimental study design with modelling. Limbs received either a 3.5 mm cortical screw according to a VSP or using an aiming device. Using computed tomography and computer segmentation, a comparison was made between the executed screw and the planned screw using the Ha...
Elmas CR, Cruz AM, Kerr CL.To describe an assisted anesthetic recovery technique using a tilt table for horses after high-risk orthopedic-related procedures and to evaluate outcome. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Anesthetic recoveries (n=54) for 36 horses. Methods: Medical records (April 1994-October 2005) for horses that had high-risk orthopedic surgery and recovery from general anesthesia on a tilt table were reviewed. Information about the surgical procedure, anesthetic and recovery period was analyzed. Results: Of 54 anesthetic recoveries, 1 horse (1.9%) had complete failure of internal fixation during recov...
Frankel HL, Haskell R, Digiacomo JC, Rotondo M.A 3-year chart survey and questionnaire was conducted of equestrian-injured patients at a regional trauma center to determine patterns and consequences of injury and rate of recidivism. Ninety-two patients (95 encounters) were treated; most were young (mean age, 27 +/- 11 years) women (84%) riders sustaining falls (80%). Most injuries were orthopedic (47%); 19 per cent of patients required hospital admission. There was one death. Helmet use was documented in only 34 per cent. Eighty-one per cent of patients responded to a follow-up telephone survey; 36 per cent recounted additional accidents (...
