Clinical outcome of collateral ligament injuries of the tarsus.
Abstract: The significance of collateral ligament desmitis of the tarsocrural joint is often clinically underestimated, because it is an uncommon injury with a guarded prognosis for athletic soundness. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome of 12 horses with collateral ligament desmitis, along with tarsocrural joint synovitis secondary to hemarthrosis. Criteria for inclusion in this study included clinical signs of tarsocrural joint synovitis and sonographic evidence of collateral ligament desmitis. This retrospective study evaluated horses over an 8-year period. Median follow-up after treatment was 5.5 years. Four horses in the study returned to their previous level of performance, 6 horses remained lame due to pain in the tarsus, 1 was euthanized, and 1 is in convalescence. This study highlights the importance of collateral ligament desmitis, and emphasizes the need for early, aggressive treatment to prevent the development of osteoarthritis. L’importance du ligament collatéral desmitis de l’articulation tarsocrural est souvent cliniquement sous-estimé, parce que c’est une blessure rare avec un pronostic gardée pour athletic solidité. L’objectif de cette étude était de décrire la présentation clinique, le traitement et le résultat de 12 chevaux avec ligament collatéral desmitis, avec tarsocrural mixte synovite secondaire à hémarthrose. Critères d’inclusion dans la présente étude comprenaient des signes cliniques de synovite conjointe de tarsocrural et de preuve échographie du ligament collatéral desmitis. Cette étude rétrospective a évalué chevaux sur une période de 8 ans. Médiane de suivi après que traitement était de 5,5 ans. Quatre chevaux dans la présente étude revient à leur niveau précédent de performances, six chevaux est resté lame en raison de la douleur dans le tarse, 1 a été euthanasiés et 1 est en convalescence. Cette étude met en évidence l’importance du ligament collatéral desmitis et met l’accent sur la nécessité d’un traitement précoce, agressif empêcher le développement de l’arthrose. (Traduit par les auteurs)
Publication Date: 2012-11-02 PubMed ID: 23115364PubMed Central: PMC3327590
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The study examines the clinical presentation, treatment and outcomes of twelve horses suffering from ligament damage on their tarsocrural joint, emphasizing the need for immediate treatment to prevent the development of osteoarthritis.
Research Objective
- The aim of the research was to investigate the clinical manifestation, treatment methods, and potential outcomes of horses affected by collateral ligament desmitis of the tarsocrural joint, a situation often dubbed as a “guarded prognosis” due to its unusual occurrence and complications in the athletic performance of the animals.
Research Design and Methods
- The study was carried out retrospectively over an eight-year period by examining the cases of 12 horses.
- To be eligible for the study, the horses had to show signs of tarsocrural joint synovitis (inflammatory joint disease) and provide sonographic evidence of collateral ligament desmitis (ligament inflammation).
Research Findings
- The study found that only a third of the horses returned to their previous performance levels after treatment. The majority of the horse cohort in the study remained lame due to pain in the tarsus (cluster of large joints in the hindlimb), while one of the animals was euthanized, and another was still in the recovery stage.
Study Significance
- This research serves to underline the gravity of collateral ligament injuries in horses due to their guarded prognosis and potential to stop the livestock from returning to their original performance level.
- The study emphasizes the necessity for early and aggressive treatment methodologies to prevent further medical complications, like osteoarthritis, from developing.
Cite This Article
APA
Lamb L, Zubrod C, Hague B, Brakenhoff J, Major M.
(2012).
Clinical outcome of collateral ligament injuries of the tarsus.
Can Vet J, 53(5), 518-524.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Oakridge Equine Hospital, 6675 East Waterloo Road, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034, USA. llamb_@hotmail.com
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Collateral Ligaments / injuries
- Collateral Ligaments / pathology
- Female
- Hemarthrosis / diagnosis
- Hemarthrosis / therapy
- Hemarthrosis / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses / injuries
- Inflammation / diagnosis
- Inflammation / therapy
- Inflammation / veterinary
- Joint Diseases / diagnosis
- Joint Diseases / therapy
- Joint Diseases / veterinary
- Lameness, Animal
- Male
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Prognosis
- Retrospective Studies
- Tarsus, Animal / injuries
- Treatment Outcome
References
This article includes 21 references
- Sullins KE. The tarsus. In: Stashak TS, editor. Adams’ Lameness in Horses. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 1998. pp. 970–972.
- McIlwraith CW. Diagnostic and surgical arthroscopy of the tarsocrural joint. In: McIlwraith CW, editor. Diagnostic and Surgical Arthroscopy of the Horse. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Elsevier; 2005. pp. 269–306.
- Dyson S. Lameness associated with recurrent haemarthrosis in a horse.. Equine Vet J 1986 May;18(3):224-6.
- Judy CE, Galuppo LD. Evaluation of iatrogenic hemarthrosis of the metacarpophalangeal joint as a method of induction of temporary reversible lameness in horses.. Am J Vet Res 2005 Jun;66(6):1084-9.
- Kawamura H, Ogata K, Miura H, Arizono T, Sugioka Y. Spontaneous hemarthrosis of the knee in the elderly: etiology and treatment.. Arthroscopy 1994 Apr;10(2):171-5.
- American Association of Equine Practitioners. Definitions and classification of lameness. Guide for Veterinary Service and Judging of Equestrian Events. Lexington, Kentucky: American Association of Equine Practioners; 1991. p. 9.
- Reef VB. Musculoskeletal ultrasonography. In: Reef VB, editor. Equine Diagnostic Ultrasound. 1st ed. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Saunders; 1998. pp. 164–166.
- Latorre R, Arencibia A, Gil F, Rivero M, Henry RW, Ramírez G, Váquez JM. Correlation of magnetic resonance images with anatomic features of the equine tarsus.. Am J Vet Res 2006 May;67(5):756-61.
- Updike SJ. Functional anatomy of the equine tarsocrural collateral ligaments.. Am J Vet Res 1984 May;45(5):867-74.
- Sutton S, Clutterbuck A, Harris P, Gent T, Freeman S, Foster N, Barrett-Jolley R, Mobasheri A. The contribution of the synovium, synovial derived inflammatory cytokines and neuropeptides to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.. Vet J 2009 Jan;179(1):10-24.
- Ivester KM, Adams SB, Moore GE, Van Sickle DC, Lescun TB. Gentamicin concentrations in synovial fluid obtained from the tarsocrural joints of horses after implantation of gentamicin-impregnated collagen sponges.. Am J Vet Res 2006 Sep;67(9):1519-26.
- Strauss EJ, Goodrich LR, Chen CT, Hidaka C, Nixon AJ. Biochemical and biomechanical properties of lesion and adjacent articular cartilage after chondral defect repair in an equine model.. Am J Sports Med 2005 Nov;33(11):1647-53.
- Tenney WA, Whitcomb MB. Rupture of collateral ligaments in metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints in horses: 17 cases (1999--2005).. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2008 Aug 1;233(3):456-62.
- Boero MJ, Kneller SK, Baker GJ, Metcalf MR, Twardock AR. Clinical, radiographic, and scintigraphic findings associated with enthesitis of the lateral collateral ligaments of the tarsocrural joint in standardbred racehorses.. Equine Vet J Suppl 1988 Sep;(6):53-9.
- Schneider RK, Bramlage LR, Moore RM, Mecklenburg LM, Kohn CW, Gabel AA. A retrospective study of 192 horses affected with septic arthritis/tenosynovitis.. Equine Vet J 1992 Nov;24(6):436-42.
- Meijer MC, van Weeren PR, Rijkenhuizen AB. Clinical experiences of treating septic arthritis in the equine by repeated joint lavage: a series of 39 cases.. J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med 2000 Aug;47(6):351-65.
- Honnas CM, Welch RD, Ford TS, Vacek JR, Watkins JP. Septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint in 12 horses.. Vet Surg 1992 Jul-Aug;21(4):261-8.
- Madison JB, Sommer M, Spencer PA. Relations among synovial membrane histopathologic findings, synovial fluid cytologic findings, and bacterial culture results in horses with suspected infectious arthritis: 64 cases (1979-1987).. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1991 May 1;198(9):1655-61.
- Taylor AH, Mair TS, Smith LJ, Perkins JD. Bacterial culture of septic synovial structures of horses: does a positive bacterial culture influence prognosis?. Equine Vet J 2010 Apr;42(3):213-8.
- Schneider RK. Synovial and osseous infections. In: Auer JA, Stick JA, editors. Equine Surgery. 3rd ed. St Louis, Missouri: Saunders Elsevier; 2006. pp. 1121–1129.
- Deitch EA, Specian RD, Berg RD. Endotoxin-induced bacterial translocation and mucosal permeability: role of xanthine oxidase, complement activation, and macrophage products.. Crit Care Med 1991 Jun;19(6):785-91.
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Delco ML, Kennedy JG, Bonassar LJ, Fortier LA. Post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the ankle: A distinct clinical entity requiring new research approaches.. J Orthop Res 2017 Mar;35(3):440-453.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
