Influence of topically applied cold treatment on core temperature and cell viability in equine superficial digital flexor tendons.

This study investigates how a standard cold treatment affects the core temperature of a horse’s superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and the viability of tendon cells. The research found that application of the cold treatment significantly reduced the SDFT’s core temperature but did not negatively impact the survival of tendon cells.

Research Methodology

• This study used the limbs of 5 adult horses and cultured cells obtained from the SDFT of 3 adult horses.
• A thermocouple temperature probe was employed to collect in vivo data. It was inserted into the SDFT of each standing sedated horse’s forelimb.
• A commercial compression splint circulating a coolant was placed on selected limbs. These limbs underwent cold treatment for 60 minutes, and temperatures were monitored at 30-second intervals.
• The mean minimum core temperature reached was used to create a protocol for an in vitro cold treatment of cells.
• For cell extraction, specimens were obtained from the SDFT of horses during necropsy.
• A suspension of tendon cells was cultured and exposed to an hour of cold treatment that replicated the in vivo process.

Results of the Study

• In an hour, the application of cold treatment dropped the SDFT core temperature by an average of 21.8 degrees C, reaching a mean minimum temperature of 10 degrees C.
• There was no significant difference in the viability of cells after the cold treatment compared to cells maintained at body temperature. Essentially, the cold treatment did not noticeably harm the survival of tendon cells.

Conclusions

• The results show that a topical application of cryotherapy significantly reduced the core SDFT temperature in the horses used in the study.
• The temperatures achieved in vivo during the cold treatment did not detrimentally affect the in vitro viability of tendon cells.