Arthroscopic surgery for osteochondral fractures of the proximal phalanx of the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal (fetlock) joints in horses.
Abstract: Arthroscopic surgery for osteochondral fractures of the proximal phalanx was performed on 74 fetlock joints of 63 horses for a total of 87 fractures during a 2-year period. The medial dorsal proximal aspect of the proximal phalanx of the forelimbs was most commonly involved (59 fractures), followed by the lateral aspect (26 fractures), and 2 fractures occurred in the fetlock joint of the right hindlimb. At surgery, 82 fragments were removed and 5 fragments that had healed or were embedded in the joint capsule were not removed. Of the fragments removed, 15 were fixed firmly to the proximal phalanx, 63 were easily movable by arthroscopic instruments (but had soft tissue attachments to the proximal phalanx), and 4 were floating free within the joint. Arthroscopic surgery allowed excellent visualization and appreciation of the attachments of fragments and their stage of healing. Horses returned to full race training at an average of 11 1/2 weeks (range, 6 to 24 weeks). Thirty eight of 46 horses (82.6%) with adequate postoperative follow-up returned to athletic performance at least equal to that before fetlock injury.
Publication Date: 1986-02-01 PubMed ID: 2869018
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research involved conducting arthroscopic surgery on 63 horses with osteochondral fractures in their fetlock joints. The surgery helped the majority of these horses return to their athletic performance at least equal to that before their injury.
Research Methodology
- The researchers performed arthroscopic surgery targeting osteochondral fractures on the proximal phalanx of fetlock joints from 63 horses, involving a total of 74 joints and 87 fractures.
- The most commonly affected area was the medial dorsal proximal aspect of the proximal phalanx of the forelimbs, followed by the lateral aspect and then two fractures were detected on the fetlock joint of the right hindlimb.
- The surgeries spanned a period of two years.
Findings and Outcomes
- Out of the total fractures, 82 fragments were detected and removed. Five fragments that had either healed or were embedded in the joint capsule were not removed.
- The researchers noted that 15 of the fragments were firmly fixed to the proximal phalanx, 63 were easily movable using arthroscopic instruments due to their attachment to soft tissues of the proximal phalanx, while 4 were floating freely within the joint.
- The arthroscopic surgical process facilitated excellent visualization and facilitated understanding of the fragments’ attachments and their stages of healing.
Postoperative Recovery and Performance
- The horses returned to full race training after an average of about 11 and a half weeks following the surgery.
- A total of 38 out of the 46 horses, representing about 82.6%, managed to resume their athletic performance, on par with levels before their fetlock injury.
Cite This Article
APA
Yovich JV, McIlwraith CW.
(1986).
Arthroscopic surgery for osteochondral fractures of the proximal phalanx of the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal (fetlock) joints in horses.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 188(3), 273-279.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arthroscopy / methods
- Arthroscopy / veterinary
- Foot / surgery
- Foot Injuries
- Fractures, Bone / diagnostic imaging
- Fractures, Bone / surgery
- Fractures, Bone / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint / injuries
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint / surgery
- Metatarsophalangeal Joint / injuries
- Metatarsophalangeal Joint / surgery
- Methods
- Radiography
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Bertoni L, Jacquet-Guibon S, Branly T, Legendre F, Desancé M, Mespoulhes C, Melin M, Hartmann DJ, Schmutz A, Denoix JM, Galéra P, Demoor M, Audigié F. An experimentally induced osteoarthritis model in horses performed on both metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints: Technical, clinical, imaging, biochemical, macroscopic and microscopic characterization. PLoS One 2020;15(6):e0235251.
- Seghrouchni M, Elkasraoui H, Piro M, Alyakine H, Bouayad H, Chakir J, Tligui N, Elallali K, Azrib R. Osteoarticular radiographic findings of the distal forelimbs in Tbourida Horses. Heliyon 2019 Sep;5(9):e02514.
- Boyce MK, Trumble TN, Carlson CS, Groschen DM, Merritt KA, Brown MP. Non-terminal animal model of post-traumatic osteoarthritis induced by acute joint injury. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2013 May;21(5):746-55.
- Dzierzęcka M, Charuta A. The analysis of densitometric and geometric parameters of bilateral proximal phalanges in horses with the use of peripheral quantitative computed tompgraphy. Acta Vet Scand 2012 Jul 13;54(1):41.
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