Arthrographic Study of the Communication between the Tarsal Joints in Crioulo Horses.

This research was aimed at evaluating a technique for examining the connectivity between different joints in the ankle (tarsus) of the Crioulo breed of horses. The researchers found that there was a significant amount of communication between the distal tarsal and tarsocrural joints in Crioulo horses, highlighting the importance of performing contrasted arthrography for diagnosis and treatment planning.

Study Design and Methods

The study involved 50 Crioulo horses, aged 3 to 8 years. The horses selected for the experiment had to be free of any signs of osteoarthritis in the tarsal joint and demonstrate no loss of joint space. The researchers used arthrography, a medical imaging technique using contrast to visualize joints and their surrounding soft tissues. Specifically, they injected contrast into the distal intertarsal joint and took X-ray images at two points – immediately after injection (Time 0), and 45 seconds post-injection (Time 1).

• The purpose was to see if the contrast medium travels from one joint to another, indicating communication between the joints.
• The data from these procedures were then analyzed using the chi-squared statistical test.

Results of the Study

Out of the 300 tarsi (plural of tarsus) studied, 30 had to be excluded due to indications of loss of joint space in their X-ray images. The remaining 100 tarsi (across 70 horses) were injected with contrast in the distal intertarsal joint.

• No contrast overflow was observed in 30 of the 70 assessed tarsi.
• In 32 out of 70, contrast had spread to the tarsometatarsal joint.
• In 8 out of 70 cases, contrast reached the tarsocrural joints.
• Moreover, 52 out of 70 tarsi displayed contrast overflow to the bursa of the cunean tendon (a structure near the tarsal joints).

These results confirm that the arthrographic technique was successful in gathering the required data.

Conclusions and Implications

The study found significantly higher communication between the distal tarsal and the tarsocrural joints in the Crioulo horses. This is an essential discovery because it underscores the importance of performing contrast arthrography before making a final diagnosis and determining the best course of treatment. It allows clinicians to visualize and understand the interplay between different joints in the tarsus, aiding in the accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of various conditions that may affect these structures in horses.