Arthroscopic surgery for osteochondritis dissecans of the femoropatellar joint of the horse.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of arthroscopic surgery as a treatment for osteochondritis dissecans in horses. Data from 252 surgeries conducted on 161 horses of various ages and breeds demonstrate mixed success rates, with various factors influencing the outcomes.

Study Design and Subject Details

The research study involved 252 arthroscopic surgical procedures conducted on the femoropatellar joints of 161 horses. The horses belonged to different breeds and both genders were represented. Age was varied, with horses between 1 and 4 years or above, and included yearlings. The disease affected either one joint (unilateral) or both joints (bilateral) in the horses considered for the study.

• The majority of the horses (53) were females, with males accounting for 108 of the samples.
• The breed of horses included 82 Thoroughbreds, 39 Quarter Horses, 16 Arabians, 9 Warmbloods, and 15 other various breeds.
• Regarding ages, 22 horses were 1 year of age, 68 were yearlings, 36 were 2-year-olds, 21 were 3-year-olds, and 14 were >= 4 years old.
• Regarding the extent of disease, 91 had bilateral involvement and 70 had unilateral disease.

Research Findings

The study tracked the recovery of the horses post-surgery. Follow-up information included whether the horses returned to their intended use, were in training, were unsuccessful, or faced failure for defined reasons.

• Out of 134 horses followed up, 86 (64%) returned to their intended use.
• Nine (7%) were in the process of training.
• Unsuccessful recovery was observed in 21 (16%) cases.
• Eighteen (13%) were unsuccessful due to other defined reasons.

The success of the surgeries was impacted by factors such as the grade of lesions and age at the time of surgery. Horses with smaller lesions (Grade I, < 2 cm) had a higher success rate, whereas success rates decreased with the increase in lesion size (Grade 2 and Grade 3). Younger horses (specifically 3-year-olds) had better post-surgery outcomes as compared to other age groups, while yearlings showed a lower success rate.

Uninfluential Factors on Surgery Outcome

Certain factors were found not to significantly impact the outcome of the surgery.

• Sex of the horse
• Horse’s use-case (racehorse vs. non-racehorse)
• Location of the lesion
• Whether the disease was on one or both joints (unilateral vs. bilateral)
• Presence or absence of patellar or trochlear groove lesions.
• Presence or absence of loose bodies

These findings suggest that while arthroscopic surgery can provide significant recovery in horses with osteochondritis dissecans, the success rate is influenced by factors such as lesion size and the age of the horse at the time of treatment.