Osteochondrosis is a developmental orthopedic disorder affecting the cartilage and bone in horses, typically occurring in young, growing animals. It involves the disruption of normal endochondral ossification, leading to the formation of lesions in the joint cartilage and subchondral bone. These lesions can result in joint pain, lameness, and reduced performance. Osteochondrosis is commonly observed in the stifle, hock, and fetlock joints of horses. Various factors, including genetics, nutrition, growth rate, and mechanical stress, are associated with its development. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of osteochondrosis in equine populations.
Riley CB, Yovich JV, Huxtable CR.A fusion defect of the proximal and middle phalanges of both hindlimbs, osteochondrosis dissecans of the distal interphalangeal joints of the forelimbs, and subluxation of all 4 distal interphalangeal joints occurred in a Standardbred filly. Lameness was the first abnormality noted and was observed at one week of age in the left forelimb and progressed until all 4 limbs were affected by 5 weeks of age. On radiographs of both forelimbs, the distal interphalangeal joints were subluxated with irregularity and lucency of subchondral bone. On radiographs of the distal hindlimbs, there was a subluxa...
Desjardins MR, Hurtig MB.Articular cartilage is a remarkably resilient tissue capable of withstanding considerable stress and repeated loading. Since this tissue has no blood vessels, nerve elements, or lymphatics, it is not surprising that it has a limited capacity for repair when damaged. In the horse, cartilage damage occurs as an occupational hazard. Furthermore, developmental defects such as osteochondrosis can lead to osteochondritis dissecans. Resultant cartilage flaps, fissures, and poorly organized subchondral bone produce disruption of joint surfaces.Veterinarians are often called upon to intervene when dama...
Schougaard H, Falk Ronne J, Phillipson J.This research study investigated the prevalence and potential genetic factors of tibiotarsal osteochondrosis, a joint condition, in trotting horses in Denmark through a radiographic survey. The study examined 325 yearlings, […]
McIlwraith CW, Goodman NL.The various conditions of the interphalangeal joint are presented; these include degenerative joint disease and osteochondral chip fractures of the proximal interphalangeal joint, fractures of the middle phalanx affecting proximal and/or distal interphalangeal joints, subluxation and osteochondrosis of the proximal interphalangeal joint, and arthrosis of the distal interphalangeal joint.
Stephens PR, Richardson DW, Ross MW, Ford TS.The anatomy of the dorsal pouch of the proximal intertarsal joint (PIJ) and its communication with the tarsocrural joint (TCJ) was studied in 15 pairs of hocks from young and mature horses. The mediolateral length of the TCJ-PIJ fenestration was 14 to 29 mm. The potential volume of the dorsal pouch of the PIJ was 3 to 5 ml, and a recess extended 10 to 28 mm medial to the medial commissure of the TCJ-PIJ fenestration. In a correlated clinical study, osteochondral fragments were identified radiographically within the dorsal pouch (category 1) or dorsal joint capsule (category 2) of the PIJ in 17...
Sandgren B.Radiographic examination of the tarsocrural, metacarpo- or metatarsophalangeal joints was made in 139 Standardbred horses. Most were under three years old with no history of orthopaedic problems. In the tarsocrural joint, osteochondrosis was observed in 25 (18.1 percent) of the horses (n = 138) and 14 (56 percent) of these were affected bilaterally. In the metatarsophalangeal joint, the most frequent radiographic abnormality was single or multiple bony fragments or defects at the plantar proximal end of the proximal phalanx, which was noticed in 40 (28.8 percent) of the horses (n = 139). The l...
McIlwraith CW, Vachon A.Treatment of degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) is discussed in relationship to pathogenesis of five clinical entities, defined to facilitate discussion:-1) occurring in high motion joints and associated with synovitis; 2) associated with low motion joints; 3) "non-progressive" articular cartilage erosion; 4) secondary to other identified problems (intra-articular fractures, ligamentous damage, wounds, septic arthritis, osteochondrosis); and 5) chondromalacia of the patella. In addition to direct damage to articular cartilage, synovitis and capsulitis and depletion of matrical glycosa...
Nixon AJ, Adams RM, Teigland MB.Bilateral subchondral cystic lesions of the femoral head in a horse resulted in lameness. The lesions had resulted in degenerative disease in the left coxofemoral joint. The cause of lameness was confirmed by use of intra-articular anesthesia, joint fluid analysis, and radiography. Subchondral cystic lesions involving the femoral head should be considered in the differential diagnosis of equine lameness localized in the upper portion of the hind limb.
Barclay WP, Foerner JJ, Phillips TN.Osteochondral fragmentation of the plantar aspect of the proximal phalanx was diagnosed as a cause of hind limb lameness in 19 horses. The lameness was evident at the upper levels of the horses' performance capabilities, and was isolated to the metatarsophalangeal joints by use of intra-articular or regional anesthesia. Fragments were surgically removed from 10 horses that later returned to full use. Seven horses were treated intra-articularly with polysulfated glycosaminoglycans or corticosteroids; only one horse was able to return to full use. One horse was retired from work at the time of d...
Bertone AL, McIlwraith CW, Powers BE, Trotter GW, Stashak TS.Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) and subchondral cyst-like lesions in 13 shoulders of 11 horses were treated arthroscopically by curettage and lavage. Lameness decreased in all 11 horses. Nine horses were sound, five of them athletically sound, after 5 to 20 months. Complications included the development of subchondral cyst-like lesions and signs of degenerative joint disease. Arthroscopic surgery of the equine shoulder can be done through two portals, one for the arthroscope and one for an instrument. A few hand instruments such as a probe, Ferris-Smith rongeurs, and small, large, and right-an...
Miller CL, Todhunter R.Osteochondrosis affecting the acetabula in horses is rarely reported. Osteochondrosis dissecans in foals only a few weeks old is also an uncommon finding. Lesions compatible with osteochondrosis dissecans in the acetabulum were found to be the cause of a chronic coxofemoral lameness in a 3-week-old Arabian filly. The history, physical examination findings, joint fluid analysis, gross pathologic and histopathologic findings are described.
Nixon AJ.An arthroscopic technique for examination and surgical treatment of conditions of the shoulder joint was evaluated in eight normal horses and two horses with osteochondrosis lesions. A single arthroscope entry point caudal to the infraspinatus tendon allowed inspection of the cranial, lateral, and caudal surfaces of the shoulder joint. With the humeral head and glenoid cavity distracted by a curved forceps, the entire cartilage surface of the shoulder could be examined. The caudomedial portion of the humeral head was seen better with a 70 degree angled arthroscope. Instruments for intra-articu...
Firth EC, Greydanus Y.The talus and proximal and distal epiphysis of the humerus, radius, femur, tibia and distal metacarpus of 20 foals aged 0 to 150 days were obtained at necropsy and sawn sagittally into slabs 4 to 8 mm thick. The thickness of the cartilage (articular cartilage and unossified epiphyseal cartilage) was measured in three to five places in each slab, using a sliding calliper. In most epiphyses, the site, or sites, of thickest cartilage was constant in all foals examined. The difference between thickest and thinnest cartilage within one epiphysis was greatest in distal femora and least in distal met...
Hardy J, Marcoux M, Eisenberg H.A suspected lesion of osteochondrosis dissecans involving the anconeal process of the humeroradial joint (elbow) was found in 2 horses. In horse 1, the lesion was found during routine lameness examination, during which alleviation of the lameness was achieved after intra-articular anesthesia of the elbow. In horse 2, the lesion was found at necropsy. Horse 1 responded satisfactorily to intra-articular treatment with hyaluronic acid. Both horses also had other joints affected with osteochondrosis dissecans.
Kold SE, Hickman J, Melsen F.Four full thickness cartilage defects, two linear and two elliptical, and four subchondral cavity defects were created at the point of weightbearing of the medial femoral condyle in four experimental ponies. This study showed that subchondral bone cysts can develop following full thickness (cartilage only) linear cartilage defects at a weightbearing location. Subchondral bone cysts did not develop following the removal of an elliptical piece of cartilage, exposing the subchondral bone. Primary subchondral defects created in communication with the joint cavity did not heal by replacement with b...
Sønnichsen HV, Hansen SF.Osteochondrosis is a rapidly growing problem in the horse population and reports are frequent. Osteochondritis dissecans can in most cases be treated surgically, but reports on results are lacking. This paper reports the results of surgery of the tibiotarsal joint in 43 cases.
Hoppe F.A total of 106 Standardbred Trotters and 27 Swedish Warmblood horses, with a radiological diagnosis of osteochondrosis dissecans, were studied over a six year period. The majority were young horses. No statistical difference in frequency between the sexes was demonstrated. In both breeds osteochondrosis was most common in the hock joints, the site of predilection being the distal dorsal tip of the intermediate tibial ridge. On radiographs the lesions of the hock joints were graded on a scale from 0 to 5 according to size, number and localisation of defects and visible loose bodies. The sizes o...
Bridges CH, Womack JE, Harris ED, Scrutchfield WL.Of 8 Thoroughbred foals in which osteochondrosis developed before weaning, 7 had serum copper and ceruloplasmin concentrations below normal. Three foals on one farm had serum zinc content high enough to suggest zinc toxicosis, and the liver of each foal contained abnormally high content of zinc. Four foals from the second farm had extremely low serum copper content, but normal serum zinc content. Evidence of environmental exposure to excess zinc was not found on either farm. The lesions in the zones of endochondral ossification of the afflicted foals were similar in many respects to those foun...
Glade MJ, Belling TH.Weanling Thoroughbred horses were fed diets providing 70%, 100%, or 130% of their daily energy and protein requirements for eight months. Biopsy specimens of growth plate cartilage were taken from the distal right radius at this time. Tissues from both overfed and underfed horses exhibited significantly decreased protein, hydroxyproline and hexosamine contents (on a dry tissue weight basis), increased DNA content and decreased LDH activity, compared to tissues taken from the animals fed 100% of their daily requirements. Growth plate thickness was proportional to diet level. The reserve and hyp...
Alitalo I, Kärkkäinen M.Ataxia caused by a focal compression of the cervical spinal cord was diagnosed in four young standardbred trotting horses. Diagnosis was verified by myelography. Changes in the cervical vertebral column were studied using microradiographic and histologic methods. In the vertebrae involved, there was irregularity of the cartilaginous growth zone, cracks with a loose fragment and disturbance in the enchondral ossification. These changes resemble osteochondrosis. Porous appearance in lateral and ventral funiculi as well as mural calcified plaques in the small vessels of the white matter were foun...
Lindsell CE, Hilbert BJ, McGill CA.Osteochondrosis dissecans was diagnosed clinically and radiographically in 31 joints of 21 horses. The horses ranged in age from 8 months to 5 years at the time of presentation. The usual age of onset of clinical signs was 18 to 24 months. Presenting complaints included joint effusion and lameness of either gradual or sudden onset. In Thoroughbred horses, the stifle joint was the most common site of lesions and in Standardbred horses lesions occurred more commonly in the hock. In 16 of the 21 horses, the contralateral joint was radiographed and 9 of these horses had bilateral lesions. Thorough...
Glade MJ, Krook L, Schryver HF, Hintz HF.Epiphyseal and articular cartilages were examined in pony foals treated with intramuscular injections of either 0.5 mg dexamethasone per 100 kg bodyweight daily for 3, 8 or 11 months, or 5.0 mg per 100 kg for 11 months, and in horse foals treated with 5.0 mg per 100 kg for 20 weeks. The proximal femoral growth plates exhibited increased spatial separation between chondrocyte columns, narrowed zones of disorganized columnar and hypertrophic cartilage, abnormal penetration of hypertrophic cartilage by metaphyseal capillaries, retained cartilage in the spongiosa, distal terminal plate formation, ...
Sønnichsen HV, Kristoffersen J, Falk-Rønne J.Joint mice in the horse is a wellknown condition, but during the last years diagnosed with increasing frequency. Ethiology and prognosis thus become of major interest. 53 cases of mice in the fetlock are examined and divided in 3 groups on the basis of localization and appearance. On one group characterised by a localization in the plantar aspect of the joint and clearly separated from the tuberosites of the first phalanx histological investigations were carried out resulting in the statement that the mice can be the result of osteochondrosis. Surgical intervention in cases with clinical sympt...
Trotter GW, McIlwraith CW, Norrdin RW, Turner AS.Degenerative joint disease of the proximal interphalangeal joint was diagnosed in 9 joint of 6 horses. All of the horses were 3 years old or younger and the affected joints were in the hindlimbs. Radiographic evidence of osteochondrosis involving the distal end of the proximal phalanx was apparent in 5 joints. Lameness and local soft tissue swelling were prominent in all cases. In 1 horse euthanatized tissues because of lameness, histologic examination of joint tissues revealed osteochondrosis as well as severe osteoarthritis. Surgical arthrodesis of the affected joint was performed on 2 horse...
Clarke KL, Reardon R, Russell T.To determine if arthroscopic surgery performed on weanlings/yearlings with trochlear ridge OCD of the femur (stifle OCD), or intermediate ridge of the tibia (tarsal OCD) detected on routine presale radiographs affects future racing performance. Methods: Retrospective case control study. Methods: Thoroughbred weanlings and yearlings. Methods: Stifle (N = 37; 22 male, 15 female) and tarsal (N = 35; 22 male, 13 female) OCD cases were identified. Outcome measures relating to racing performance (number of race starts, wins, places, and prize money earned, from races in their 2- and 3-year-old racin...
Faulkner J, Vanderperren K, Duchateau L, O'Sullivan C.Ascertain the radiographic prevalence and variation in characteristics of juvenile osteochondral conditions (JOC) in the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) of Australian Thoroughbred racehorse yearlings. Establish whether there are any significant associations with public auction sale results and racing performance. Unassigned: Retrospective evaluation of 1,098 yearling repository radiograph sets. Comparison of sales results and whole career racing performance of the case group with two control groups: maternal siblings ( = 397) and yearlings without PIP JOC ( = 391). Unassigned: 6.3% of ye...
Keller LE, Kelly TN, Chevalier JM, Jung HJ, Pearson GB, Begum L, Beane OS, Bhumiratana S, Fortier LA.Fresh osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation effectively repairs cartilage and subchondral bone; however, the persisting shortage of available donor OCAs and their short shelf-life make scheduling surgeries and meeting patient demand challenging. Attempts have been made to develop tissue-engineered solutions to address the limitations of OCA; nonetheless, these have failed to progress beyond the preclinical stage. Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of a tissue-engineered osteochondral allograft (TE-OCA) as compared with equine OCA in an equine osteochondral defect model. Metho...
Power J, Hernandez P, Wardale J, Henson FM.Osteochondrosis (OC) is a common and clinically important joint disease that occurs in many species, including humans, pigs, chickens and horses. It has been described as a focal failure of endochondral ossification (EO), but no cellular/molecular mechanisms are fully described that explain the cause of this condition. Recently a Wnt signalling inhibitor, sclerostin, has been described in osteoarthritic cartilage, where it has been proposed to protect damaged cartilage from degradation. Cartilage degradation is a key event in EO, thus, abnormalities of sclerostin in growth cartilage could, pot...
Di Salvo A, Chiaradia E, Della Rocca G, Giorgi M, Mancini F, Marenzoni ML, Conti MB, Nannarone S.Intra-articular administration of analgesics is performed to ensure good perioperative pain management avoiding undesirable systemic effects. To evaluate the effect of intra-articular injection of tramadol on postoperative pain after arthroscopy in horses and to determine whether tramadol had a local effect. Before the in vivo study, an in vitro test was performed aiming to evaluate the viability of equine chondrocytes after exposure to various concentrations of tramadol. The concentration identified as most appropriate was used to treat the horses' joints. Twelve horses affected by osteochond...
Schoenborn WC, Rick MC, Hornof WJ.A 6-year-old Thoroughbred gelding presented with a left forelimb lameness. The results of lameness examination, radiography, nuclear scintigraphy, and computed tomography are presented. Based on the diagnostic imaging, subchondral fractures and osteochondritis dissecans lesions of the proximal articular surface of the proximal phalanx were diagnosed. A brief discussion of osteochondritis dissecans is presented.
Espinosa-Mur P, Coté N, Desjardins MR.To describe the radiographic and surgical findings of horses with osteochondral fragments (OCF) in the proximal intertarsal joint (PIJ) and to detail the technique for arthroscopic fragment retrieval and report outcomes. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Twenty-nine horses (32 tarsi) with OCF in the PIJ. Methods: Medical records of horses with radiographic evidence of OCF in the PIJ were reviewed. Clinical features, number of fragments, location, arthroscopic appearance, and outcome were recorded. Technical modifications with visual aids specific to this arthroscopic technique are d...
Lewczuk D, Bereznowski A, Hecold M, Frąszczak M, Ruść A, Korwin-Kossakowska A, Szyda J, Kamiński S.Horses lose potential opportunities because of health problems. Available breeding strategies are not effective enough, probably also because of the different definition used and its genetic usefulness. The aim of the study was to compare the genetic background estimated by the genome-wide association study (GWAS) for osteochondrosis using two different scaling osteochondrosis (OC)/healthy and osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD)/healthy systems for evaluating the disease status of investigated fetlock joints. Two hundred one Warmblood horses trained for performance tests (87 stallions and 114 mare...
Declercq J, Martens A, Bogaert L, Boussauw B, Forsyth R, Boening KJ.To determine clinical and arthroscopic characteristics associated with fragments in the synovial pad of the fetlock and to characterize their morphology. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Warmblood horses (n=104) with fragment(s) in the synovial pad. Methods: Signalment and results of radiographic and clinical examination were collected before surgery. After arthroscopic fragment removal and joint evaluation for synovial and/or cartilage abnormalities, fragments were measured, and evaluated by histopathology. Results: Synovial pad fragments (n=142) were removed from 127 fetlocks. Two olde...
Grøndahl AM, Jansen JH, Teige J.Fifty-six tarsocrural joints and 94 metatarsophalangeal joints were examined, at necropsy, from horses aged < or = 2 years. Osteochondral fragments at the cranial aspect of the intermediate ridge of the distal part of the tibia were seen in six horses, and at the proximoplantar aspect of the proximal phalanx in seven horses. Defects in the proximoplantar aspect of the proximal phalanx without osteochondral fragments were seen in a further two horses. Inflammatory and degenerative changes were not observed in any of the joints examined. From the incidence and natural course of these fragment...
van Weeren PR, Denoix JM.Juvenile osteochondral conditions (JOCC) have a major impact on the equine industry and include many musculoskeletal disorders of the young horse, of which osteochondrosis (OC) is the most prominent. The Breeding, Osteochondral Status and Athletic Career (BOSAC) project is the first large, comprehensive, longitudinal field study on the subject conducted in three breeds of performance horses (Thoroughbreds, Standardbred Trotters and Warmbloods) that were monitored in their natural environment where they were reared under common field conditions. The BOSAC study used a radiographic protocol desi...
Stick JA, Borg LA, Nickels FA, Peloso JG, Perau DL.An osteochondral fragment was removed from the caudal pouch of the lateral femorotibial joint in a 2-year-old Trakehner colt by use of arthroscopic surgery and a lateral approach. The approach to this aspect of the femorotibial joints was developed in another horse. The fragment was not attached and resembled an osteochondritis dissecans lesion. The intermittent lameness associated with the fragment resolved after surgical removal. A positive response to diagnostic anesthesia of the femorotibial joint in the absence of a confirmed diagnosis (following radiographic and arthroscopic evaluations ...
Lim CK, Hawkins JF, Vanderpool AL, Heng HG, Gillespie Harmon CC, Lenz SD.Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a sequela to osteochondrosis, whereby the cartilage superficial to the site of osteochondrosis fractures and gives rise to osteochondral fragments in the affected joint. In this case, both the radiological and computed tomography findings were supportive of classical severe OCD but the histologic findings were not supportive of the diagnosis of OCD. Methods: A 1 year and 6 months old, Saddlebred, colt was presented for evaluation of chronic cervical pain. Standing laterolateral radiographs revealed an osteochondral fragment with corresponding irregular subc...
Cheng HW, Chik TK, Weir J, Chan BP.Damage to the hyaline cartilage of the joint surface and osteochondral fractures are key factors leading to the development of osteoarthritis in racehorses, representing a significant cause of racehorse retirement. To tissue-engineer an osteochondral unit that is suitable for joint repair, incorporation of a zone of calcified cartilage should be considered so as to mimic itscounterpart. To date, equine mesenchymal stem cells (eMSCs) have been reported to have multilineage differentiation potential. Yet the generation of a zone of calcified cartilage using eMSCs has not been reported. This work...
van Grevenhof EM, Gezelle Meerburg ARD, van Dierendonck MC, van den Belt AJM, van Schaik B, Meeus P, Back W.Osteochondrosis (OC) is a common, clinically important joint disorder in which endochondral ossification is focally disturbed. Reduced blood supply to growing cartilage is considered an important cause of the condition, which has both genetic and environmental origins. Housing conditions can influence cartilage injury through peak-pressure changes during limb sliding. Additionally, circulatory perturbation can cause the avascular necrosis of cartilage. In this study, we evaluated the type and frequency of limb sliding during standing up and the occurrence of OC in foals aged up to 12 months o...
Lamb CR.Arthrography, tenography, and fistulography (or sinography) can provide additional information about the soft-tissue components of joints, tendon sheaths, and draining tracts, respectively. Arthrography is a valuable aid in the diagnosis of synovial masses, such as villonodular synovitis, and osteochondrosis. Tenography is particularly useful in evaluating chronic tendon sheath distention. Fistulography is an effective means of identifying acute traumatic damage to synovial structures and determining the cause and extent of draining tracts.
Steel CM, Devery S, Hance SR, Adkins AR, Hitchens PL.Fragmentation of the dorsal aspect of the distal talus (FDDT), at the dorsolateral articular margin of the proximal intertarsal joint (PITJ) on pre-sale radiographs of yearling Thoroughbreds has not been previously described and data to support decisions made by veterinarians to predict future racing potential of horses with these lesions are lacking. Methods: In this retrospective case-control study we aimed to determine the prevalence of FDDT in juvenile Thoroughbreds and to report their race records. From a database of survey and repository radiographic examinations of 5709 horses, 36 with ...
Gläser KE, Davies ME, Jeffcott LB.This study was designed to examine a new role for cysteine proteinases in the process of endochondral ossification. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence and distribution of cathepsin B and cathepsin L in equine articular cartilage during development. Methods: Full-depth cartilage samples from a total of 40 horses (age range: 4 month fetuses to 2 years) were examined and enzymes detected by immunocytochemical localisation. Results: Observations on the presence of cathepsins B and L revealed significant age-related differences, resulting in clear division of th...
Gonçalves LM, Pozzobon R, Dos Anjos BL, Pellegrini DCP, Azevedo MS, Dau SL, Oliveira GP, Klaus R.The term juvenile osteochondral condition (JOCC) has been used to identify developmental changes in the growth plates. The condition is characterized by a set of changes with similar pathogenesis that affect the immature skeleton and joints of growing foals. The aim of the current study is to investigate the prevalence and degree of severity of osteochondral changes in Brazilian warmblood (BW) foals in two farms in the south of Brazil. Radiological evaluation was applied to the metacarpophalangeal (MCP), carpal (C), metatarsophalangeal (MTP), tarsal (T), and femorotibiopatellar (FTP) joints of...
Gee EK, Firth EC, Morel PC, Fennessy PF, Grace ND, Mogg TD.To determine the influence of copper (Cu) supplementation by injection of mares in late gestation on the frequency and severity of osteochondrosis (OC) lesions in their foals at around 160 days of age. To determine if there was any influence of the concentration of Cu in the liver, growth rate, birthweight, weight at 160 days of age, fatness, sex, or year of birth of the foal on the frequency and severity of OC lesions. To determine the influence of dam's age, and sex and birthweight of the foal on the growth rate from birth to 160 days of age, and weight at 160 days of age. Methods: Thirty-th...
Yamasaki A, Omura T, Murata D, Kobayashi M, Sunaga T, Kusano K, Ueno Y, Kuramoto T, Hobo S, Misumi K.Synovium-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (SM-MSCs) from seven Thoroughbreds with naturally occurring intra-articular fracture proliferated to over ten million cells by the second passage. Using three experimental Thoroughbreds, columnar osteochondral defects were made arthroscopically at the bilateral distal radius. Five million allogenic SM-MSCs were implanted into the right defect, and another five million were injected into the right radio-carpal joint (implantation site). No SM-MSCs were implanted into the left defect or the same joint (control site). At 3 and 6 weeks after surgery, ten ...
Tsuzuki N, Seo JP, Haneda S, Yamada K, Furuoka H, Tabata Y, Sasaki N.A 13-month-old Thoroughbred filly was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the medial tibial malleolus. A sponge impregnated with platelet-rich plasma, bone morphogenetic protein-2, mesenchymal stem cells and gelatin β-tricalcium phosphate was applied to the OCD site following arthroscopy and debridement. Postoperative radiography (every week for 16 weeks), computed tomography (CT) (16 weeks postoperatively), arthroscopy (16 weeks postoperatively) and biopsy of the regenerated tissue (16 weeks postoperatively) were performed to evaluate the outcome. Radiographically, the defect b...
Schneider N, Heimann M, Lejeune JP, Verwilghen DR, Deby-Dupont GP, Serteyn DA.In the human and equine species, different kinds of free floating intra-articular particles are related to certain disorders. Osteochondral fragments formed during osteochondrosis dissecans are the most common finding in the equine species, whereas in humans rice bodies due to rheumatoid arthritis are more frequent. Herein we report a third type of floating body inside the stifle of an adult draught horse stallion, in macroscopic appearance similar to articular rice bodies known in humans. As revealed by histologic examination, the two particles consist of polypoid degenerated structures deriv...
Mendoza L, Franck T, Lejeune JP, Caudron I, Detilleux J, Deliège B, Serteyn D.Osteochondrosis (OC) disease appears to be multifactorial in origin, including skeletal growth rates, nutrition, endocrinological factors, exercise, biomechanics, and other environmental factors. Endocrinological and metabolic factors seem to have an important role in the pathogeny of OC like the Wnt signaling pathway. One of the regulators in the Wnt signaling pathway is the sclerostin glycoprotein. The aim of this study was to investigate the sclerostin blood concentration according to the evolution of the disease, the environment, and the age but also its use as a possible biomarker for OC ...
Compagnie E, Drumm NJ, de Heer N, ter Braake F.To describe an alternative technique and resulting outcomes for arthroscopic removal of osteochondral (OC) fragments from the proximal intertarsal joint (PIJ) using a direct approach without resection of the membrane between the tarsocrural joint (TCJ) and the PIJ. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Client owned horses (n = 11) with Category 1 OC fragments in the PIJ. Methods: Arthroscopic examination of the dorsal pouch of the TCJ was performed with horses positioned in dorsal recumbency using routine portals. A hook probe placed through one of the standard portals was used to l...
Stephens PR, Richardson DW, Ross MW, Ford TS.The anatomy of the dorsal pouch of the proximal intertarsal joint (PIJ) and its communication with the tarsocrural joint (TCJ) was studied in 15 pairs of hocks from young and mature horses. The mediolateral length of the TCJ-PIJ fenestration was 14 to 29 mm. The potential volume of the dorsal pouch of the PIJ was 3 to 5 ml, and a recess extended 10 to 28 mm medial to the medial commissure of the TCJ-PIJ fenestration. In a correlated clinical study, osteochondral fragments were identified radiographically within the dorsal pouch (category 1) or dorsal joint capsule (category 2) of the PIJ in 17...
Vervuert I, Winkelsett S, Christmann L, Bruns E, Hoppen HO, Distl O, Hertsch B, Coenen M.To determine whether plasma concentrations of bone turnover markers in growing Hanoverian foals are influenced by age, housing conditions, or osteochondrosis. Methods: 165 healthy foals and 119 foals with osteochondrosis. Methods: Foals were allocated according to birth date and housing management into groups of early-born (born before March 31, 2001; n = 154 foals, 88 of which were healthy and 66 of which had osteochondrosis) and late-born (born after March 31, 2001; 130 foals, 77 of which were healthy and 53 of which had osteochondrosis) foals. Plasma osteocalcin and carboxyterminal propepti...
Simpson CM, Lumsden JM.A 2-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was evaluated for a grade 3 out of 5 unilateral hind limb lameness. Flexion of the right hock and stifle joints (spavin test) exacerbated the lameness. Response to intra-articular and perineural anaesthesia isolated the source of lameness to the tarsocrural area, despite an absence of tarsocrural joint effusion. Routine radiographic examination of the hock did not reveal any significant abnormalities. Skeletal nuclear scintigraphic evaluation revealed a focal region of increased bone activity in the proximal medial trochlear ridge of the talus. Flexed laterome...
Olstad K, Aasmundstad T, Kongsro J, Grindflek E.Computed tomography (CT) is used to evaluate body composition and limb osteochondrosis in selection of breeding boars. Pigs also develop heritably predisposed abnormal curvature of the spine including juvenile kyphosis. It has been suggested that osteochondrosis-like changes cause vertebral wedging and kyphosis, both of which are identifiable by CT. The aim of the current study was to examine the spine from occiput to sacrum to map changes and evaluate relationships, especially whether osteochondrosis caused juvenile kyphosis, in which case CT could be used in selection against it. Whole-body ...
Marchant EA, Semevolos SA.The marginal transitional zone is peripherally located within the diarthrodial joint, and represents the interface of articular cartilage, periosteum, and the fibrous joint capsule. The purpose of this study is to characterize the protein expression of matrix and molecular regulators in the marginal transitional zone of foals having osteochondrosis (OC) compared to normal foals. Several families of proteins with known roles in cartilage and bone development are investigated, including matrix molecules, Wnt signaling, apoptotic factors and paracrine cell signaling molecules. Our results demonst...
