Arthroscopic treatment of temporomandibular joint sepsis in a horse.

This research article details a case report of a horse with a septic temporomandibular joint (TMJ) that was successfully treated using arthroscopic debridement, lavage, and antibiotics. Minimal complications occurred, and eight months post-operation, the horse showed no signs of joint disease or stiffness.

Methods / Procedure

• The study focused on a 12-year-old Thoroughbred mare which had a septic TMJ, a relatively rare condition in horses.
• The researchers conducted an arthroscopic examination of the upper joint pouch of the horse’s right TMJ by making a puncture incision into the back part of the compartment.
• The TMJ was treated using a mechanized resection (removal) of the synovium (soft tissue in the joint) and fibrinous debris. This was followed by copious lavage, a medical cleaning process that washes the joint out with a therapeutic solution.
• Along with these procedures, the TMJ was treated with intra-articular (into the joint itself) and systemic (through the entire body) antibiotics to address the sepsis.

Results

• Using the combination of arthroscopic debridement, lavage, and antibiotics led to the successful treatment of sepsis in the TMJ.
• Eight months after the operation, the mare did not have any clinical indications of degenerative joint disease, indicating the joint had retained its normal function, nor ankylosis (abnormal stiffness), signaling a successful recovery.

Conclusions

• Despite the rarity of TMJ sepsis in horses, the standard arthroscopic equipment proved effective in managing this condition with minimal complications.
• The success of the study suggests that arthroscopic debridement and lavage should be considered as an evaluation and initial treatment method for TMJ sepsis in horses.