Chondromalacia of the cranial medial femoral condyle; its occurrence and association with clinical outcome in a population of adult horses with stifle lameness.

The study investigated the occurrence and clinical significance of Chondromalacia of the cranial medial femoral condyle (CMFC) – a potential cause of stifle lameness – in adult horses, using retrospective cohort study. It concluded that CMFC is not only a common finding, but also significantly associated with an increased likelihood of the horse being unable to work in the long term.

Introduction to the Research

• The research focuses on Chondromalacia of the cranial medial femoral condyle (CMFC), considered a possible reason for stifle lameness in adult horses.
• Despite its potential involvement in stifle lameness, there is limited published evidence about its occurrence or clinical importance.
• The research objectives were to document the occurrence of CMFC during diagnostic arthroscopy in adult horses with stifle lameness and to examine its prognostic significance.

Research Methodology

• The study is of a retrospective cohort design, meaning it analyzes medical records of patients who already had the disease.
• The records of horses with unilateral or bilateral lameness localized to the stifle and that underwent diagnostic arthroscopy of the cranial medial femorotibial joint at a UK equine hospital were examined.
• The surgical findings from each horse were recorded and case outcomes were determined by unstructured phone discussions with owners.
• A horse was considered to have a satisfactory outcome if it was in ridden work without the need for ongoing anti-inflammatory medication.
• A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to build a model with a post-operative outcome time point at 12 months.

Results of the Study

• A total of 104 horses were included in the study, with CMFC found in 79 of them.
• For 25 horses, CMFC was the only finding, while 54 horses had CMFC alongside other pathologies, and 25 horses had other pathologies but no CMFC.
• At 12 months post-operation, horses with CMFC were 9.9 times more likely to have an unsatisfactory outcome compared to those without CMFC.

Challenges and Conclusions

• Data collection based on retrospective analysis of clinical notes and previously recorded arthroscopy videos presents the possibility of reporting errors and bias.
• Assessing the outcome with unstructured phone interviews may not yield as accurate results as standardized measurement methods.
• Despite these limitations, the study established that CMFC is a frequent arthroscopic finding in horses with stifle lameness and is significantly linked with an increased chance of long-term unsuccessful horse recovery.