Diagnostic stifle joint arthroscopy using a needle arthroscope in standing horses.

The research paper presents an examination of the use of an 18 g arthroscope for identifying stifle joint diseases in standing horses. The arthroscope was tested on cadaver limbs, normal horses, and horses with suspected stifle injury or disease, showing positive diagnostic results and no postoperative problems.

Methodology

The research was divided into three phases:

• In the first phase, five cadaver limbs were used to assess all stifle joints. This provided a basis for understanding how well the arthroscope could identify stifle joint structures in an environment without the possible complications of a living subject.
• In the second phase, the test was performed on six normal horses. The horses were standing, sedated and locally anesthetized. The researchers performed arthroscopic examinations both in weight-bearing and flexed nonweight-bearing positions. The technique used ultrasonographic and arthroscopic examinations simultaneously to confirm the range and accuracy of the diagnostic examination.
• In the third phase, the techniques from phase two were used on three horses suspected of having stifle diseases. This phase aimed to evaluate the efficiency of using an 18 g arthroscope in real clinical scenarios.

Results

• In both cadaveric limbs and live horses, the arthroscope was able to identify all the intra-articular structures that constitute a complete arthroscopic examination.
• The process led to no intra or postoperative morbidity, indicating that it was safe for the horses.
• In phase 3, the research team effectively used the needle arthroscope to identify pathologic changes. In one horse, the team found an osteochondral fragment that had not been previously detected by ultrasonography and radiography.

Conclusions

These preliminary findings suggest that an 18 g arthroscope can be effective for conducting diagnostic examinations of the equine stifle in standing horses. This study demonstrated the value and viability of this approach, potentially opening up new avenues for safely and effectively diagnosing equine stifle joint diseases.