Mosaic arthroplasty of the medial femoral condyle in horses – An experimental study.

The research investigated how well autologous osteochondral grafts survived when transplanted to the weight-bearing surface of the medial femoral condyle (MFC) in horses. The researchers analyzed the macroscopic and microscopic character of the grafts and assessed any osteoarthritic changes or clinical issues observed post-procedure.

Methodology and Study Design

• The study utilized one Arabian and 5 Hungarian half-bred horses. Autologous osteochondral grafts were harvested from the cranial surface of the medial femoral trochlea (MFT) using arthroscopic control.
• In the first round of transplantation, an arthrotomy approach was used to transplant the graft to the weight-bearing surface of the contralateral MFC in three of the horses.
• Three months later, the same transplantation procedure was carried out in the opposite stifle joints, but in this instance, the procedure was done arthroscopically.

Follow-up and Assessment

• Follow-up arthroscopy was performed 12 months after the first operation. Biopsies from the recipient and donor sites were collected for histological examination.
• No signs of osteoarthritic changes were detected when radiological examinations were done 9 to 12 months post-operation on the donor and recipient joints.
• Additionally, no clinical problems such as lameness or effusion were reported three months after transplantation.

Results and Findings

• During follow-up arthroscopy, the transplanted surfaces appeared congruent and smooth.
• At a microscopic level, hyaline cartilage characteristics were found in 5 out of the 10 biopsies examined. The rest showed symptoms of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) loss and alterations in the architecture of the transplanted cartilage.
• In one 16-year-old horse, all grafts broke during harvesting, thus transplantation wasn’t carried out.

Conclusion

From this study, it can be inferred that autologous osteochondral grafts, when transplanted to the weight-bearing surface of the MFC, have potential for survival in horses. The procedure seems to cause minimal or no osteoarthritic changes or clinical problems post-transplantation. However, some challenges were noted such as graft failure during harvesting and changes in the transplanted cartilage in some cases. The research could potentially contribute to understanding and developing better medical interventions for certain joint issues in equine species.