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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Surg / Arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments of the cervi...
Veterinary surgery : VS2021; 52(6); 801-809; doi: 10.1111/vsu.13681

Arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments of the cervical articular process joints in three horses.

Abstract: To report arthroscopic osteochondral fragment removal from the equine cervical spine articular process joints (APJs) including long-term follow-up. Methods: Case series. Methods: Three Warmblood horses with forelimb lameness and/or reduced range of motion of the cervical spine with osteochondral fragments between the cervical vertebrae C5 /C6 or C6 /C7 . Methods: Arthroscopy of the APJs of C5 /C6 and C6 /C7 was performed under general anesthesia. Following endoscopic evaluation of the joints, osteochondral fragments were removed using a rongeur. Results: All horses recovered from anesthesia with no anesthetic or minor postanesthetic complications. One horse needed a second procedure for fragment removal. Fourteen to 31 months post-surgery the horses were sound for their intended use and neurological examination revealed no abnormalities. Conclusions: Arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments can be performed safely in the equine cervical APJs of C5 /C6 and C6 /C7 resulting in a favorable long-term outcome. Conclusions: Arthroscopic removal is a valid option for horses showing clinical signs that can be attributed to osteochondral fragments in the APJs of the neck.
© 2021 The Authors. Veterinary Surgery published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
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Publication Date: 2021-07-20 PubMed ID: 34288006DOI: 10.1111/vsu.13681Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The study explores the process and impact of arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments from the cervical spine articular process joints (APJs) in three Warmblood horses showing forelimb lameness or reduced neck motion.

Methods

  • The study focuses on three Warmblood horses, which were showing clinical signs of forelimb lameness and/or reduced range of motion in the cervical spine.
  • The horses had osteochondral fragments wedged between their cervical vertebrae C/C or C/C.
  • The arthroscopic procedure to remove these fragments was conducted under general anesthesia.
  • After the endoscopic evaluation of the joints, a rongeur was used to remove the osteochondral fragments from the APJs of the C/C and C/C positions.

Results

  • All horses successfully recovered from anesthesia, with minor postanesthetic complications for some.
  • One of the horses required a second procedure for complete fragment removal.
  • Long-term follow-ups conducted 14 to 31 months post-surgery showed that all the horses were sound for their intended use and did not show any neurological abnormalities.

Conclusions

  • The study concludes that arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments from the equine cervical APJs of C/C and C/C can be carried out safely and effectively, leading to favorable long-term outcomes.
  • Arthroscopic removal stands as a valid treatment option for horses showing clinical signs that can be attributed to osteochondral fragments in the APJs of the neck.

Cite This Article

APA
Schulze N, Ehrle A, Beckmann I, Lischer C. (2021). Arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments of the cervical articular process joints in three horses. Vet Surg, 52(6), 801-809. https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.13681

Publication

Veterinary surgery : VS
ISSN: 1532-950X
NlmUniqueID: 8113214
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 52
Issue: 6
Pages: 801-809

Researcher Affiliations

Schulze, Nicole
  • Equine Clinic, Surgery and Radiology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Ehrle, Anna
  • Equine Clinic, Surgery and Radiology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Beckmann, Ina
  • Equine Clinic, Surgery and Radiology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Lischer, Christoph
  • Equine Clinic, Surgery and Radiology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses
  • Animals
  • Joints / surgery
  • Arthroscopy / methods
  • Arthroscopy / veterinary
  • Neck
  • Cervical Vertebrae / surgery
  • Lameness, Animal / surgery
  • Horse Diseases / surgery
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Dyson S, Phillips K, Zheng S, Aleman M. Congenital variants of the ventral laminae of the sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae are not associated with clinical signs or other radiological abnormalities of the cervicothoracic region in Warmblood horses. Equine Vet J 2025 Mar;57(2):419-430.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.14127pubmed: 38938125google scholar: lookup
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