The stifle joint in horses is a complex synovial joint located in the hind limb, analogous to the human knee. It comprises several components, including the femur, tibia, patella, and associated ligaments and cartilage. The stifle joint facilitates various movements and is integral to the horse's locomotion. Conditions affecting the stifle joint, such as osteochondritis dissecans, ligament injuries, and arthritis, can impact a horse's performance and quality of life. Diagnostic approaches often involve physical examinations, imaging techniques like X-rays and ultrasonography, and sometimes arthroscopy. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the anatomy, function, common disorders, and diagnostic and treatment methodologies related to the stifle joint in horses.
Hoaglund EL, Barrett MF, Daglish J, Contino EK.Intermediate patellar ligament (IPL) desmopathy is a relatively uncommon injury previously reported to have a poor prognosis for return to athletic activity. There is little documentation of the clinical and ultrasonographic features, clinical significance, and outcome for return to work following IPL injury in horses. The aim of this retrospective descriptive study was to describe the clinical and ultrasonographic features of IPL desmopathy, its association with other injuries of the stifle, and outcome for return to work following injury. Forty-two stifles with an ultrasound diagnosis of IPL...
Swor TM, Dabareiner RM, Honnas CM, Cohen ND, Black JB.OBJECTIVE To describe the chief complaints by owners and the types and prevalences of musculoskeletal problems associated with lameness or poor performance in cutting horses. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 200 client-owned cutting horses examined at the Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2015, because of lameness or poor performance. PROCEDURES Medical records were reviewed, and data were collected regarding signalment, history, findings on physical and lameness examinations, results of diagnostic procedures performed,...
Aldrich ED, Goodrich LR, Contino EK, Kawcak CE, Barrett MF, King MR, Valdés-Martínez A.CASE DESCRIPTION A 12-year-old mixed-breed mare (horse 1) and 6-year-old Friesian gelding (horse 2) were examined for chronic lameness associated with the stifle joint. CLINICAL FINDINGS Lameness examination revealed effusion of the right (horse 1) or left (horse 2) femoropatellar and medial femorotibial joints and grade 3/5 (horse 1) or 4/5 (horse 2) lameness. A diagnosis of cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) injury with associated mineralization and avulsion (horse 1) or mineralization alone (horse 2) was facilitated in both horses with a caudomedial-craniolateral oblique radiographic view obta...
Frazer LL, Santschi EM, Fischer KJ.To predict bone and medial meniscal stresses and contact pressures in an equine stifle with a medial femoral condyle (MFC) intact or with a 2-cm subchondral bone void, under varying degrees of internal femoral rotation (IFR). Methods: Finite element model (FEM) of a cadaveric equine stifle loaded to 8000 N. Methods: The FEM was constructed from computed tomography (CT) of the right, extended stifle of a yearling. The CT image was segmented into relevant anatomic structures and meshed into 4-node tetrahedrons. Bone material properties were assigned according to Hounsfield units, soft tissue p...
Daglish J, Frisbie DD, Selberg KT, Barrett MF.High field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used for horses with suspected stifle disease, however there is limited available information on normal imaging anatomy and potential incidental findings. The aim of this prospective, anatomic study was to develop an optimized high field MRI protocol for evaluation of the equine stifle and provide detailed descriptions of the normal MRI appearance of the stifle soft tissues, using ultrasound and gross pathological examination as comparison tests. Nine cadaver limbs were acquired from clinically normal horses. Stifles were evaluated ul...
Dias IR, Viegas CA, Carvalho PP.Namely, in the last two decades, large animal models - small ruminants (sheep and goats), pigs, dogs and horses - have been used to study the physiopathology and to develop new therapeutic procedures to treat human clinical osteoarthritis. For that purpose, cartilage and/or osteochondral defects are generally performed in the stifle joint of selected large animal models at the condylar and trochlear femoral areas where spontaneous regeneration should be excluded. Experimental animal care and protection legislation and guideline documents of the US Food and Drug Administration, the American S...
Mirra A, Klopfenstein Bregger MD, Levionnois OL.A 15-year-old Selle Francais gelding was presented to the equine referral hospital for treatment of a left guttural pouch mycosis previously diagnosed. After induction, the horse was shortly hoisted by all four feet, moved on a padded surgical table, and positioned in right lateral recumbency. In order to reduce the risk of bleeding during surgical manipulation of the carotid and maxillary arteries, a mean arterial pressure between 60 and 70 mmHg was targeted. After surgery, the horse was moved in a padded recovery box keeping the same lateral recumbency. Four unsuccessful attempts were perf...
Barrett MF, McIlwraith CW, Contino EK, Park RD, Kawcak CE, Frisbie DD, zumBrunnen JR.OBJECTIVE To investigate potential associations between repository radiographic findings and subsequent performance of Quarter Horses competing in cutting events. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SAMPLE Repository radiographs (ie, radiographs obtained at the time of sale) for 343 client-owned horses. PROCEDURES Repository radiographic findings were compared with objective measures of performance, including the likelihood of competing; the likelihood of earning money as a 3-year-old, as a 4-year-old, and as a 3- and 4-year-old combined; and the amount of money earned as a 3-year-old, as a 4-y...
Herdrich MRA, Arrieta SE, Nelson BB, Frisbie DD, Moorman VJ.OBJECTIVE To determine accuracy for a technique of needle redirection at a single craniolateral site for injection of 3 compartments of the equine stifle joint, describe the external needle position, and identify the location of the needle tip within each joint compartment. SAMPLE 24 equine cadaver stifle joints. PROCEDURES Stifle joints were placed in a customized stand. After the needle was placed, external needle position was measured and recorded. Each joint compartment (medial and lateral compartments of the femorotibial joint and the femoropatellar joint) was injected with a solution con...
Frazer LL, Santschi EM, Fischer KJ.Subchondral lucency (SCL), also referred to as subchondral bone cysts, can cause clinical problems in horses and humans. In humans, SCLs occur in youths and adolescents [1] due to mechanical factors (often related to athletics) and in skeletally mature individuals secondary to osteoarthritis (OA). In horses, SCL most commonly occurs in the medial femoral condyle (MFC) of growing horses (without OA), and causes lameness. The cause of equine SCL is debated, but bone trauma due to overload is the likely mechanism. Investigating the biomechanics of the healthy and cystic MFC is important to unders...
Kremer A, Ribitsch I, Reboredo J, Dürr J, Egerbacher M, Jenner F, Walles H.Meniscal injuries are the most frequently encountered soft tissue injuries in the equine stifle joint. Due to the inherent limited repair potential of meniscal tissue, meniscal injuries do not only affect the meniscus itself but also lead to impaired joint homeostasis and secondary osteoarthritis. The presented study compares 3D coculture constructs of primary equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and meniscus cells (MC) seeded on three different scaffolds-a cell-laden collagen type I hydrogel (Col I gel), a tissue-derived small intestinal matrix scaffold (SIS-muc) and a combination thereof-for ...
Bonilla AG, Bertone AL, Brokken MT, Santschi EM.CASE DESCRIPTION 4 horses were examined because of signs of chronic hind limb lameness. CLINICAL FINDINGS 3 horses had a history of lameness for > 6 months; specific duration was unknown for 1 horse. On initial evaluation, grade 3 to 4 (on a scale from 1 to 5) hind limb lameness was present in all 4 horses. Radiography of the stifle joint of the affected limb revealed medial femoral condyle subchondral lucencies or subchondral cystic lesions (SCLs) in all 4 horses, medial femorotibial osteoarthritis in 3 horses, and medial tibial condyle SCLs in 3 horses. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME 2 horses were...
Russell J, Matika O, Russell T, Reardon RJ.Osteochondrosis is considered multifactorial in origin, with factors such as nutrition, conformation, body size, trauma and genetics thought to contribute to its pathogenesis. Few studies have investigated the effects of genetic variability of osteochondrosis in Thoroughbreds. Objective: To describe the prevalence and genetic variability of a subset of osteochondrosis lesions in a group of Thoroughbred yearlings. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Radiographs of 1962 Thoroughbred yearlings were retrieved from clinical records obtained between 2005 and 2013. Pedigree information was ...
Aldrich ED, Goodrich LR, Monahan MK, Conway JD, Valdés-Martínez A.Injury to the tendons and ligaments of the equine stifle is a common cause of lameness in horses. Individual radiographic localisation of each tendon and ligament of the stifle has not been previously reported or demonstrated in multiple radiographic projections. Objective: To create a series of radiographs identifying the origins and/or insertions of the tendons and ligaments of the equine stifle. Methods: Descriptive study of radiographic anatomy. Methods: The location of all entheses were determined by gross dissection. The proximal tibia and fibula, distal femur, patella and menisci were i...
González-Fernández ML, Pérez-Castrillo S, Sánchez-Lázaro JA, Prieto-Fernández JG, López-González ME, Lobato-Pérez S, Colaço BJ, Olivera ER....OBJECTIVE To assess the ability to regenerate an equine meniscus by use of a collagen repair patch (scaffold) seeded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from bone marrow (BM) or adipose tissue (AT). SAMPLE 6 female Hispano-Breton horses between 4 and 7 years of age; MSCs from BM and AT were obtained for the in vitro experiment, and the horses were subsequently used for the in vivo experiment. PROCEDURES Similarities and differences between MSCs derived from BM or AT were investigated in vitro by use of cell culture. In vivo assessment involved use of a meniscus defect and implantation o...
Tuska P, Tóth B, Vásárhelyi G, Hangody L, Papp M, Bodó G.The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in biomarker and synovial parameters following autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) in the equine stifle joint, to test the hypothesis whether synovial parameters would show significant differences at selected time points following the surgery (at days 3, 14, 60 and 180) compared to baseline level (at day 0). Surgical intervention was performed in both stifles of nine horses (n = 18). The joints were randomly assigned to operated and sham-operated groups. Grafts 8.5 mm in diameter were harvested from the femoropatellar (FP) joint unde...
Nemery E, Gabriel A, Piret J, Antoine N.In athletic horses, diseases leading to lameness are of great importance due to the loss of performance and the resultant economic concerns. Although stifle lesions are frequent in the hindlimb, due to the large size and complexity of the joint, and although meniscal tears have been identified as the most common soft tissue injuries in this joint, little is known about the mechanism that causes the painful sensation and thus the lameness. The aim of our study was to highlight any peripheral fibres involved in meniscal nociception in five macroscopically sound cranial horns of the equine medial...
De Lasalle J, Alexander K, Olive J, Laverty S.A better understanding of imaging characteristics of equine stifle osteoarthritis (OA) may allow earlier detection and improve prognosis. Objectives of this ex vivo, prospective, methods comparison study were to (1) describe the location and severity of naturally acquired OA lesions in the equine stifle using ultrasound (US), radiography (XR), computed tomography (CT), and macroscopic evaluation (ME); (2) compare the diagnostic performance of each imaging modality with ME; and (3) describe subchondral bone mineral density (BMD) in equine stifle joints with OA using CT. Radiographic, CT, and US...
Nelson BB, Kawcak CE, Goodrich LR, Werpy NM, Valdés-Martínez A, McIlwraith CW.The femorotibial joints are a common source of lameness in Western performance horses. The objective of this prospective study was to compare the radiography, ultrasonography, computed tomographic arthrography (CTA), and arthroscopy findings in horses with lameness localized to the femorotibial joints. Twenty-five stifles in 24 horses were included and were evaluated with all four of these diagnostic methods. Defects detected in femorotibial joint structures were compared between diagnostic methods using a McNemar's test to evaluate for disagreement. Cranial medial meniscotibial desmopathy was...
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...
Adrian AM, Barrett MF, Werpy NM, Kawcak CE, Chapman PL, Goodrich LR.To evaluate and compare the diagnostic capability of arthroscopy and ultrasonography for the detection of pathological change in equine stifle joints. Although descriptions of the arthroscopic and ultrasonographic boundaries of the normal femorotibial joint exist, there are few examples in the literature comparing the pathological changes observed with each imaging modality. Objective: To evaluate and compare arthroscopic and ultrasonographic examinations for characterising pathological change in the stifle joint. To describe how the results of arthroscopic and ultrasonographic examinations ma...
Cook CR.Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a rapidly growing field within veterinary medicine. Ultrasound for musculoskeletal disorders has been commonly used in equine and human medicine and is becoming more commonly performed in small animal patients due to the increase in the recognition of soft tissue injuries. Ultrasound is widely available, cost-effective, but technically difficult to learn. Advantages of musculoskeletal ultrasound are the opposite limb is commonly used for comparison to evaluate symmetry of the tendinous structures and the ease of repeat examinations to assess healing. The article d...
Gottlieb R, Whitcomb MB, Vaughan B, Galuppo LD, Spriet M.Ultrasound is widely used in horses with stifle lameness, yet limited information is available regarding the appearance of normal and injured lateral patellar ligaments (LPL). Objective: To map the normal ultrasonographic appearance of the LPL. To describe the clinical and ultrasonographic features of LPL injuries. Methods: Descriptive study of healthy horses and retrospective case series. Methods: Twelve horses without stifle lameness underwent ultrasonographic examination of bilateral LPLs and ultrasonographic features were recorded. Eighteen horses with LPL injury were identified from 1999 ...
Andersen C, Tnibar A.Medial patellar ligament splitting (MPLS) has been shown to be a highly effective and minimally invasive treatment for upward fixation of the patella (UFP) in horses. However, long-term follow-up results of this procedure have not previously been reported. Objective: To evaluate the long-term resolution of UFP following MPLS and provide information on complications and recurrence. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Data were collected from horses that underwent MPLS between 1999 and 2013. All cases had a confirmed diagnosis of UFP that had not responded to conservative therapy. Data ...
Nemery E, Gabriel A, Grulke S, Piret J, Toppets V, Antoine N.Lameness due to stifle and especially meniscal lesions is frequent in equine species. In humans, mechanoreceptors involved in proprioceptive function are well studied. Given the high incidence of meniscal injuries in horses, and the lack of information concerning them in equine menisci, our objective was to study these corpuscles in six healthy anterior horns of the equine medial meniscus, which is the most common localisation reported for equine meniscal injuries. Immunohistochemical stainings were performed using antibodies against high molecular weight neurofilaments and glial fibrillary ac...
Santos MP, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD, McKnight AL, Singh K.With the recent introduction of a 0.25T rotating MRI system, clinical evaluation of the equine stifle joint is now possible in the average equine athlete. A recent publication described common abnormalities of horses with stifle lameness detected with a low-field MRI system; however, postmortem corroboration of the lesions detected was not possible. Therefore, our objective was to compare postmortem findings with low-field MRI findings in equine cadaver stifle joints. Ten fresh cadaver stifle joints from horses without clinical signs of stifle disease were evaluated using low-field MRI, gross ...
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...
Broeckx S, Suls M, Beerts C, Vandenberghe A, Seys B, Wuertz-Kozak K, Duchateau L, Spaas JH.Cell-based therapies, such as treatments with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are thought to have beneficial effects on the clinical outcome of orthopedic injuries, but very few animal studies with large sample size are published so far. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the safety and report the clinical outcome of allogenic, immature or chondrogenic induced MSCs in combination with PRP for the treatment of degenerative joint disease (DJD) in 165 horses. MSCs and PRP were isolated from a 6-year-old donor horse and transplanted either in their native s...
Bonilla AG, Williams JM, Litsky AS, Santschi EM.To determine ex vivo contact data on the equine medial tibial plateau loaded by an intact medial femoral condyle (MFC), by an MFC with an osteochondral defect, and with a screw inserted in lag fashion through the MFC defect. Methods: Ex vivo experiment. Methods: Stifles (n = 6). Horses (n = 4). Methods: Stifle joints were axially loaded to 1800 N at 155°, 145°, and 130°, under 3 conditions: Intact, MFC with a 15 mm circular osteochondral defect, and with a transcondylar screw inserted in lag fashion through the defect. An electronic pressure sensor (Tekscan®) on the medial tibial plateau...
Lee H, Kirkland WG, Whitmore RN, Theis KM, Young HE, Richardson AJ, Jackson RL, Hanson RR.Thicknesses of fresh equine articular cartilage surfaces from the fetlock, carpal and stifle joints were measured employing a needle probe test. Methods: Eighty-seven samples used in measurement were cultivated from fetlock, carpal and stifle joints of 12 deceased within 4 h of death. After approximately three minutes of exposure to air during dissection, all cartilage samples were preserved in a saline solution to keep the articular cartilage hydrated for testing. The thickness was measured on five different spots on the same sample. The thicknesses of the fetlock, carpus and stifle were co...
Fowlie JG, Arnoczky SP, Stick JA, Pease AP.By study of the translocation and deformation of equine menisci throughout the range of motion, it may be possible to identify potential mechanical factors in the pathogenesis of injury to the cranial horn of the medial meniscus. Objective: To quantitatively document meniscal translocation and deformation using radiographic and MR imaging, and to evaluate for potential variation between the medial and lateral menisci. Methods: Radiographic markers were embedded in the periphery of the menisci in 6 cadaver stifles. Proximal-distal radiographs were taken at 15° intervals ranging from full flexi...
Hodson E, Clayton HM, Lanovaz JL.The objective was to study associations between kinematics and ground reaction forces in the hindlimb of walking horses. Video (60 Hz) and force (2000 Hz) data were gathered for 8 strides from each of 5 sound horses during the walk. Sagittal plane kinematics were measured concurrently with the vertical and longitudinal ground reaction forces. The hindlimb showed rapid loading and braking in the initial 10% stride. The stifle, tarsal and coffin joints flexed and the fetlock joint extended during this period of rapid loading. The vertical ground reaction force showed 2 peaks separated by a dip; ...
Ekström PM, Short CE, Geimer TR.This study was done to compare the electroencephalographic (EEG) response evoked by orthopedic surgery in halothane- and isoflurane-anesthetized horses. Eight horses scheduled for bilateral arthroscopic surgery of the stifle were premedicated with detomidine (20 micrograms/kg) intravenously and five minutes later induced to anesthesia with ketamine (2.2 mg/kg) intravenously. Anesthesia was maintained with either halothane or isoflurane. Assignment of inhalation anesthetic was done randomly. The multiple of minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) of halothane required for anesthesia was significan...
Changoor A, Hurtig MB, Runciman RJ, Quesnel AJ, Dickey JP, Lowerison M.To improve osteochondral graft reconstruction of subchondral cystic lesions in the medial and lateral femoral condyles by matching the material properties of donor and recipient sites. Objective: To measure biomechanical and biochemical parameters that influence the function and healing of osteochondral grafts used to reconstruct subchondral cystic lesions. Objective: Suitable donor sites are available within the stifle joint for reconstructing the femoral condyles, despite considerable regional property variation. Methods: Fifty-six osteochondral cores were harvested from 6 distal femurs for ...
Daglish J, Frisbie DD, Selberg KT, Barrett MF.High field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used for horses with suspected stifle disease, however there is limited available information on normal imaging anatomy and potential incidental findings. The aim of this prospective, anatomic study was to develop an optimized high field MRI protocol for evaluation of the equine stifle and provide detailed descriptions of the normal MRI appearance of the stifle soft tissues, using ultrasound and gross pathological examination as comparison tests. Nine cadaver limbs were acquired from clinically normal horses. Stifles were evaluated ul...
Vekens EV, Bergman EH, Vanderperren K, Raes EV, Puchalski SM, Bree HJ, Saunders JH.To provide a detailed computed tomography (CT) reference of the anatomically normal equine stifle joint. Sample-16 hind limbs from 8 equine cadavers; no horses had evidence of orthopedic disease of the stifle joints. Methods: CT of the stifle joint was performed on 8 hind limbs. In all limbs, CT was also performed after intra-articular injection of 60 mL of contrast material (150 mg of iodine/mL) in the lateral and medial compartments of the femorotibial joint and 80 mL of contrast material in the femoropatellar joint (CT arthrography). Reformatted CT images in the transverse, parasagittal, an...
Barrett MF, Frisbie DD, McIlwraith CW, Werpy NM.While descriptions of the visible soft tissues of the femorotibial joints exist for both arthroscopy and ultrasonography, there are few examples in the literature that discuss in detail the combined findings of these modalities. Objective: To further elucidate the ultrasonographic and arthroscopic boundaries of the normal equine femorotibial joints and improve the understanding of the benefits and limitations of each individual modality. Methods: Simultaneous arthroscopy and ultrasonography were performed in 10 equine cadaver stifles as well as bilateral stifles on a horse that underwent nonre...
Jackson WA, Stick JA, Arnoczky SP, Nickels FA.To compare the quality of second-intention healing and that of compacting sternally harvested cancellous bone into subchondral bone defects of the medial femoral condyle in horses. Methods: A controlled experiment using a surgical technique that minimizes soft tissue trauma, customized for consistency among horses. Methods: Ten horses, aged 2 to 5 years, free of hindlimb lameness and with radiographically normal stifles. Methods: After a 12.7-mm-diameter x 19-mm-deep defect was created into randomly selected medial femoral condyles, bone and cartilage healing was evaluated over a 6-month perio...
Nykänen O, Sarin JK, Ketola JH, Leskinen H, Te Moller NCR, Tiitu V, Mancini IAD, Visser J, Brommer H, van Weeren PR, Malda J, Töyräs J, Nissi MJ.To investigate the potential of quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and T2* relaxation time mapping to determine mechanical and structural properties of articular cartilage via univariate and multivariate analysis. Samples were obtained from a cartilage repair study, in which surgically induced full-thickness chondral defects in the stifle joints of seven Shetland ponies caused post-traumatic osteoarthritis (14 samples). Control samples were collected from non-operated joints of three animals (6 samples). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at 9.4 T, using a 3-D multi-echo gr...
Valdés-Martínez A.Computed tomographic arthrography is an imaging technique used for the evaluation of the internal structures of a joint, especially the soft tissues and subchondral bone defects that may communicate with the joint space. Clinical indications, technical aspects, principles of image interpretation, and advantages and disadvantages of this imaging technique for the evaluation of the equine stifle joint are discussed in this article.
Beccati F, Chalmers HJ, Dante S, Lotto E, Pepe M.Osteochondrosis lesions commonly occur on the femoral trochlear ridges in horses and radiography and ultrasonography are routinely used to diagnose these lesions. However, poor correlation has been found between radiographic and arthroscopic findings of affected trochlear ridges. Interobserver agreement for ultrasonographic diagnoses and correlation between ultrasonographic and arthroscopic findings have not been previously described. Objectives of this study were to describe diagnostic sensitivity and interobserver agreement of radiography and ultrasonography for detecting and grading osteoch...
McCoy AM, Smith RL, Herrera S, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW, Goodrich LR.To report the outcome of horses engaged in Western performance disciplines after stifle arthroscopy and identify prognostic factors for return to performance. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Eighty-two Western performance horses undergoing stifle arthroscopy. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for horses involved in athletic performance/training for various Western performance disciplines and undergoing arthroscopy for lameness localized to the stifle. Follow-up was obtained ≥2 years postoperatively by telephone interviews with the owners. Preoperative and intraoperative f...
Halley SE, Bey MJ, Haladik JA, Lavagnino M, Arnoczky SP.Studies examining the effect of stifle joint angle on tibial rotation, adduction-abduction angle and articular contact area are lacking. Objective: To test the hypothesis that tibial rotation, adduction-abduction angle and articular contact area change with stifle joint angle. Methods: Descriptive study of normal kinematics and articular contact patterns of the equine stifle through the functional range of motion using 3 dimensional (3D) radiosteriometric analysis (RSA) and equine cadaver stifles. Methods: Multiple, radiopaque markers were embedded in the distal femur and proximal tibia and se...
Schneider RK, Jenson P, Moore RM.To evaluate clinical findings and response to treatment in horses in which cartilage lesions on the medial femoral condyle were a cause of lameness. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Medical records of 11 horses that had cartilage lesions on the medial femoral condyle detected during arthroscopy of the stifle. Methods: Signalment, history, lameness examination, response to intra-articular anesthesia, radiographs of the stifle, observations during diagnostic arthroscopy, and treatment were extracted from the medical record of each horse. Follow-up examinations and outcome were availa...
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 ...
De Lasalle J, Alexander K, Olive J, Laverty S.A better understanding of imaging characteristics of equine stifle osteoarthritis (OA) may allow earlier detection and improve prognosis. Objectives of this ex vivo, prospective, methods comparison study were to (1) describe the location and severity of naturally acquired OA lesions in the equine stifle using ultrasound (US), radiography (XR), computed tomography (CT), and macroscopic evaluation (ME); (2) compare the diagnostic performance of each imaging modality with ME; and (3) describe subchondral bone mineral density (BMD) in equine stifle joints with OA using CT. Radiographic, CT, and US...
Rankin JS, Diesem CD.The hindlimbs of 3 ponies and 3 horses were dissected. The hip joint capsule was found to receive articular nerve fibers from the femoral, obturator, cranial gluteal, and sciatic nerves. The nerve fibers were distributed to the fibrous joint capsule and associated capsular ligaments. The stifle joint capsule was found to receive articular branches from the femoral, saphenous, obturator, common peroneal, and tibial nerves. The fibers terminated in the joint capsule, fat pad, patellar and collateral ligaments, and the internally situated meniscal and cruciate ligaments.
Fugazzola M, Nissinen MT, Jäntti J, Tuppurainen J, Plomp S, Te Moller N, Mäkelä JTA, van Weeren R.Strategies for articular cartilage repair need to take into account topographical differences in tissue composition and architecture to achieve durable functional outcome. These have not yet been investigated in the equine stifle. Objective: To analyse the biochemical composition and architecture of three differently loaded areas of the equine stifle. We hypothesise that site differences correlate with the biomechanical characteristics of the cartilage. Methods: Ex vivo study. Methods: Thirty osteochondral plugs per location were harvested from the lateral trochlear ridge (LTR), the distal int...
Frazer LL, Santschi EM, Fischer KJ.To predict bone and medial meniscal stresses and contact pressures in an equine stifle with a medial femoral condyle (MFC) intact or with a 2-cm subchondral bone void, under varying degrees of internal femoral rotation (IFR). Methods: Finite element model (FEM) of a cadaveric equine stifle loaded to 8000 N. Methods: The FEM was constructed from computed tomography (CT) of the right, extended stifle of a yearling. The CT image was segmented into relevant anatomic structures and meshed into 4-node tetrahedrons. Bone material properties were assigned according to Hounsfield units, soft tissue p...
Jeffcott LB, Kold SE.The clinical and radiological characteristics of stifle lameness in 86 horses are described. The majority of these cases had been lame for some weeks before referral. The most frequent diagnoses made were osteochondrosis dissecans (13 per cent) and subchondral bone cyst (38 per cent). Both of these conditions were seen principally in Thoroughbreds at or before the onset of training. The other bone lesions encountered were osteoarthritis (3 per cent), fractures (4 per cent) and "epiphysitis" (1 per cent). The commonest soft tissue condition was an atypical or partial upward fixation of the pate...
Peat FJ, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW, Keenan DP, Berk JT, Mork DS.Subchondral lucencies (SCLs) in the distal aspect of the medial femoral condyle (MFC) of young Thoroughbred horses are a source of controversy on presale radiographs. There is limited scientific evidence regarding the risk of progression and impact on future racing performance. Objective: To (1) identify the prevalence of MFC SCLs on sales repository radiographs in yearling and 2-year-old Thoroughbreds; (2) identify any association between grade of MFC SCL and future racing performance and (3) monitor changes in MFC SCL grades between yearling and 2-year-old sales. Methods: Prospective cohort ...
Nemery E, Gabriel A, Grulke S, Piret J, Toppets V, Antoine N.Lameness due to stifle and especially meniscal lesions is frequent in equine species. In humans, mechanoreceptors involved in proprioceptive function are well studied. Given the high incidence of meniscal injuries in horses, and the lack of information concerning them in equine menisci, our objective was to study these corpuscles in six healthy anterior horns of the equine medial meniscus, which is the most common localisation reported for equine meniscal injuries. Immunohistochemical stainings were performed using antibodies against high molecular weight neurofilaments and glial fibrillary ac...
Santosuosso E, Leguillette R, Vinardell T, Filho S, Massie S, McCrae P, Johnson S, Rolian C, David F.Swimming is used for rehabilitation and conditioning purposes in equine sports medicine. We described the swimming kinematics of the equine forelimbs in Part 1. The aim of Part 2 is to assess stifle, tarsus, and hind fetlock joints kinematics in swimming horses. The objectives were 1- to calculate and compare joint angles during swimming against passive mobilizations (PM), 2- to determine joints angular velocities during a swimming stride cycle. Methods: Eleven elite endurance horses were used to swim in a 100-meter straight pool. Underwater (swimming) and overground PM videos were recorded fr...
Crijns CP, Gielen IM, van Bree HJ, Bergman EH.A 5-year-old Rheinlander gelding was evaluated for left hindlimb stifle lameness. The lameness was localised to the stifle, but source of the lameness was not specifically diagnosed from the physical, radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations. Computed tomography (CT) and CT arthrography were therefore used for further investigation since these imaging techniques image bony structures, cartilage and soft tissues. This examination showed multiple lesions in the stifle: an osteochondrosis dissecans like lesion of the medial femoral condyle, bony fragments, cartilage trauma and caudal crucia...
Hermans WA, Kersjes AW, van der Mey GJ, Dik KJ.A breeding experiment was carried out in a group of Shetland ponies in order to investigate the heredity of congenital lateral patellar (sub)luxation. A breeding herd was established and consisted of stallions and mares acquired at different times. Some were free from, and others were affected by lateral patellar (sub)luxation in either one or both femoropatellar joints. Over a period of 20 years, 49 foals were born from different mating combinations. Some offspring were free from the defect and others showed the abnormality. Though the number of foals bred during the experiment is rather smal...
Tóth F, Schumacher J, Schramme MC, Hecht S.To evaluate the effects of sequential anesthesia of the individual compartments of the equine stifle joint on lameness induced by intra-articular deposition of interleukin (IL)-1β. Methods: 6 horses. Methods: For each horse, baseline hind limb lameness was first evaluated. A randomly selected compartment of 1 stifle joint was then injected with IL-1β to induce synovitis and lameness; subsequently, the same compartment was anesthetized with 2% mepivacaine hydrochloride, and lameness was reevaluated. Two weeks later, baseline lameness was evaluated, and lameness was similarly induced; thereaft...
Clayton HM, Lavagnino M, Kaiser LJ, Stubbs NC.It is considered that specific exercises to strengthen limb musculature would be helpful. Objective: To describe swing phase kinematic and kinetic changes in the hindlimbs of trotting horses in response to the addition of leg weights to the hind pasterns. Methods: Six horses were prepared by placing reflective skin markers on the hindlimbs, the withers and fore hooves. Horses were evaluated at trot for 6 trials with and without leg weights (700 g) attached around the pasterns, with the 2 conditions applied in random order. The markers were tracked to determine peak heights of the flight arc of...
Jeffcott LB, Kold SE.Thirty-three cases with subchondral bone cysts in the stifle are reported. The condition was most commonly seen in young Thoroughbreds and produced intermittent lameness of varying degree. Radiographically distinct areas of radiolucency were found in the distal femur or proximal tibia adjacent to the femorotibial joint. Lesions were usually unilateral but 5 horses had cysts in both stifles. The cases could be divided into 2 distinct groups. Horses in Group A (28 cases) had a large circular or dome-shaped cyst in the medial femoral condyle with a distinct communication with the femorotibial joi...
Peroni JF, Stick JA.To describe a single-portal cranial arthroscopic approach to the stifle joint in horses and to determine the clinical outcome in horses with femorotibial joint disease in which this approach was used. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 23 adult horses. Methods: Medical records were reviewed to obtain information on clinical outcome in horses in which the single-portal cranial arthroscopic approach was used. Results: Twenty-nine stifle joints of 23 horses were examined arthroscopically, using the described approach. Subchondral bone cysts were treated in 19 medial femoral condyles of 12 hor...
Santos MP, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD, McKnight AL, Singh K.With the recent introduction of a 0.25T rotating MRI system, clinical evaluation of the equine stifle joint is now possible in the average equine athlete. A recent publication described common abnormalities of horses with stifle lameness detected with a low-field MRI system; however, postmortem corroboration of the lesions detected was not possible. Therefore, our objective was to compare postmortem findings with low-field MRI findings in equine cadaver stifle joints. Ten fresh cadaver stifle joints from horses without clinical signs of stifle disease were evaluated using low-field MRI, gross ...
