Comparison of three methods for arthrodesis of the distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints in horses.
Abstract: To evaluate the effects of diode laser surgery (LS), surgical drilling (SD), and intraarticular sodium monoiodoacetate (MIA) as methods for fusing the distal intertarsal (DIT) and tarsometatarsal (TMT) joints in horses. Methods: Experimental study. Methods: Adult horses (15) without radiographic signs of osteoarthritis (OA) of the DIT and TMT joints. Methods: Group 1 (n=3) had LS performed bilaterally on DIT and TMT joints; 1 horse was evaluated for 1 week and 2 horses were evaluated for 2 weeks. Group 2 (n=6) had LS on DIT and TMT joints of 1 tarsus and MIA administration into the contralateral DIT and TMT joints and were evaluated for 6 months. Group 3 (n=6) had LS performed on DIT and TMT joints of 1 tarsus and SD of the contralateral DIT and TMT joints and were evaluated for 12 months. Postoperative comfort, lameness, radiography, microradiography, and histology scores were compared using repeated measures ANOVA, and paired or 2 sample t-tests; significance was set at P<.05. Results: LS caused the least postoperative morbidity. In group 2, horses were less lame in 4 LS-treated limbs and 2 MIA-treated limbs at 6 months when compared with the contralateral limb. In group 3, horses were less lame in 5 LS-treated limbs and 1 SD-treated limb at 6 and 12 months compared with the contralateral limb. On microradiography, 11 MIA joints and 2 LS joints had bone bridging the joint at 6 months whereas 8 SD joints and 5 LS joints had bone bridging at 12 months. Significantly more joint space was bridged by bone in MIA- (51.4%) and SD (46.2%)-treated joints compared with LS joints at 6 (30.6%) and 12 (28.5%) months, respectively (P<.05). Conclusions: SD and MIA resulted in more bone bridging of the distal 2 tarsal joints, than LS. However, LS seemingly caused less pain and discomfort to horses in the immediate postoperative period; horses were generally less lame in the LS limb. More laser energy may need to be applied to these joints to promote fusion; however, it may also have beneficial effects beyond fusion. Further research on horses with OA of the distal 2 tarsal joints is needed to determine whether LS can cause soundness without facilitating bony fusion.
Publication Date: 2005-10-11 PubMed ID: 16212593DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2005.00057.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research paper evaluates and compares the effects of three different methods—diode laser surgery, surgical drilling, and intraarticular sodium monoiodoacetate—used for the fusion of distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints in horses.
Research Procedures
- The study was experimental and conducted on 15 adult horses with no radiographic signs of osteoarthritis of the joints under consideration.
- Horses were divided into three groups. Group 1 underwent laser surgery on both distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints. Out of these, one was evaluated for a week and two were evaluated for two weeks.
- Group 2 consisted of horses on which laser surgery was performed on a set of joints and sodium monoiodoacetate was administered to the contralateral joints. The observations were taken for 6 months for this group.
- In Group 3, laser surgery was applied to one set of joints and surgical drilling was performed on the contralateral set of joints. This group was evaluated for a duration of 12 months.
- The measures used to compare the effects of these methods were postoperative comfort, lameness, radiography, microradiography and histology scores. Statistical tests were used to analyse the data and significance was set at P<.05.
Results and Findings
- Laser surgery resulted in minimum postoperative complications and discomfort.
- By the 6-month mark, in Group 2, horses were less lame in the limbs treated with laser surgery as compared to those treated with sodium monoiodoacetate.
- Similar results were obtained for Group 3 at both the 6-month and 12-month evaluations; horses were less lame in the limbs subjected to laser surgery as compared to those that underwent surgical drilling.
- Upon microradiography, more bones were observed bridging the joint at both 6-month and 12-month marks in joints treated with sodium monoiodoacetate and surgical drilling as compared to laser surgery.
- A significant observation was that more joint space was bridged by bone in joints treated by sodium monoiodoacetate and surgical drilling as compared to laser surgery.
Conclusion
- Surgical drilling and sodium monoiodoacetate led to more bone bridging of the joints, compared to laser surgery.
- However, laser surgery caused less postoperative pain and discomfort to the horses. Horses were generally less lame in the limbs treated with laser surgery.
- The authors suggest that higher laser energy might need to be applied to promote fusion, but it might also have benefits beyond fusion.
- The study recommends further research on horses with osteoarthritis to determine if laser surgery can lead to soundness without facilitating bone fusion.
Cite This Article
APA
Zubrod CJ, Schneider RK, Hague BA, Ragle CA, Gavin PR, Kawcak CE.
(2005).
Comparison of three methods for arthrodesis of the distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints in horses.
Vet Surg, 34(4), 372-382.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950X.2005.00057.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA. zubrod@oakridgevet.com
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arthrodesis / methods
- Arthrodesis / veterinary
- Female
- Horses / surgery
- Iodoacetates
- Lameness, Animal / surgery
- Male
- Postoperative Complications / epidemiology
- Postoperative Complications / veterinary
- Random Allocation
- Tarsal Joints / surgery
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Shearer TR, Kinsley MA, Pease AP, Patterson JS. Development of a minimally invasive approach to equine cervical articular facet joints for placement of an ND:YAG LASER.. Can Vet J 2017 Nov;58(11):1181-1186.
- Seo JP, Yamaga T, Tsuzuki N, Yamada K, Haneda S, Furuoka H, Tabata Y, Sasaki N. Minimally invasive proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis using a locking compression plate and tissue engineering in horses: a pilot study.. Can Vet J 2014 Nov;55(11):1050-6.
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