Scanning electron microscopic examination of third metacarpal/third metatarsal bone failure surfaces in thoroughbred racehorses with condylar fracture.
Abstract: To examine the fracture failure surfaces from Thoroughbred horses that had sustained a catastrophic condylar fracture. Methods: Bone specimens from the failure surface were obtained from 12 Thoroughbred racehorses with catastrophic injury and 2 non-racing horses with accidental long bone fracture. Methods: Bone specimens from the failure surface of each fracture were incubated with gold microspheres to label microcracks before examination at x50 to x60,000 using scanning electron microscopy. Microcracking at the failure surface was assessed using a visual analog scale. Results: Branching arrays or clusters of microcracks were seen over a range of magnifications in adapted subchondral bone in the distal end of the MC3/MT3 bone from racing Thoroughbreds with a catastrophic displaced condylar fracture. In the palmar/plantar region, microcracking was associated with the formation of an array of macroscopic cracks in the condylar groove. A different pattern of microcracking was seen in specimens of bone from distal metaphyseal and diaphyseal MC3/MT3 failure surfaces from Thoroughbred racehorses with catastrophic fracture and non-racing horses with an accidental diaphyseal long bone fracture. Few microcracks were seen and typically did not form branching arrays. Conclusions: These data suggest that propagation of condylar fracture in Thoroughbred racehorses is initiated by the formation of nanoscale microcracks in adapted subchondral bone that form during exercise-induced bone adaptation. Conclusions: Accumulation and coalescence of branching microcracks into arrays or clusters appears to eventually lead to the development of macroscopic subchondral cracks in the condylar groove and initiation of a condylar fracture.
Publication Date: 2003-12-23 PubMed ID: 14687180DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950x.2004.04007.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The study examined fracture surfaces in Thoroughbred racehorses that had sustained a condylar fracture, finding that these fractures are likely initiated by the formation of nanoscale microcracks in the bone which accumulate and coalesce to cause larger cracks and eventual fractures.
Methods
- The researchers collected bone specimens from the failure surfaces of 12 Thoroughbred racehorses with catastrophic injuries and 2 non-racing horses with accidental long bone fractures.
- These specimens were then treated with gold microspheres to label any existing microcracks. After this, they were examined using scanning electron microscopy at magnifications ranging from x50 to x60,000.
- The extent of microcracking at each failure surface was measured and rated using a visual analogue scale.
Results
- They found that branching clusters of microcracks were visible at a range of magnifications in the subchondral bone at the distal end of the third metacarpal/third metatarsal (MC3/MT3) bone in racing Thoroughbreds that had experienced a severe displaced condylar fracture.
- In the palmar/plantar regions, these microcracks were also seen in the formation of larger, macroscopic cracks in the condylar groove.
- The team noticed a different pattern of microcracking in the bone specimens from the distal metaphyseal and diaphyseal MC3/MT3 failure surfaces in both, the Thoroughbred racehorses with catastrophic fractures, and non-racing horses with accidental long bone fractures. Here, fewer microcracks were observed and those that were found did not generally form branching patterns.
Conclusions
- The gathered data indicates that the propagation of condylar fractures in Thoroughbred racehorses begins with the formation of nanoscale microcracks in the subchondral bone. These form due to the stress of exercise-induced bone adaptation.
- Over time, the accumulation and coalescence of these branching microcracks into clusters results in the formation of macroscopic subchondral cracks in the condylar groove, ultimately leading to a condylar fracture.
Cite This Article
APA
Stepnik MW, Radtke CL, Scollay MC, Oshel PE, Albrecht RM, Santschi EM, Markel MD, Muir P.
(2003).
Scanning electron microscopic examination of third metacarpal/third metatarsal bone failure surfaces in thoroughbred racehorses with condylar fracture.
Vet Surg, 33(1), 2-10.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950x.2004.04007.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cartilage, Articular / injuries
- Cartilage, Articular / pathology
- Female
- Fractures, Bone / pathology
- Fractures, Bone / veterinary
- Fractures, Cartilage
- Horses / injuries
- Horses / surgery
- Male
- Metacarpus / injuries
- Metacarpus / pathology
- Metatarsal Bones / injuries
- Metatarsal Bones / pathology
- Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / veterinary
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Treatment Failure
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Noordwijk KJ, Chen L, Ruspi BD, Schurer S, Papa B, Fasanello DC, McDonough SP, Palmer SE, Porter IR, Basran PS, Donnelly E, Reesink HL. Metacarpophalangeal Joint Pathology and Bone Mineral Density Increase with Exercise but Not with Incidence of Proximal Sesamoid Bone Fracture in Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 24;13(5).
- Johnston GCA, Ahern BJ, Palmieri C, Young AC. Imaging and Gross Pathological Appearance of Changes in the Parasagittal Grooves of Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 24;11(12).
- Crawford KL, Finnane A, Greer RM, Phillips CJC, Bishop EL, Woldeyohannes SM, Perkins NR, Ahern BJ. A Prospective Study of Training Methods for Two-Year-Old Thoroughbred Racehorses in Queensland, Australia, and Analysis of the Differences in Training Methods between Trainers of Varying Stable Sizes.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Mar 25;11(4).
- Crawford KL, Finnane A, Greer RM, Phillips CJC, Woldeyohannes SM, Perkins NR, Ahern BJ. Appraising the Welfare of Thoroughbred Racehorses in Training in Queensland, Australia: The Incidence and Type of Musculoskeletal Injuries Vary between Two-Year-Old and Older Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 5;10(11).
- Martig S, Hitchens PL, Stevenson MA, Whitton RC. Subchondral bone morphology in the metacarpus of racehorses in training changes with distance from the articular surface but not with age.. J Anat 2018 Jun;232(6):919-930.
- Maeda Y, Hanada M, Oikawa MA. Epidemiology of racing injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses with special reference to bone fractures: Japanese experience from the 1980s to 2000s.. J Equine Sci 2016;27(3):81-97.
- Dubois MS, Morello S, Rayment K, Markel MD, Vanderby R Jr, Kalscheur VL, Hao Z, McCabe RP, Marquis P, Muir P. Computed tomographic imaging of subchondral fatigue cracks in the distal end of the third metacarpal bone in the thoroughbred racehorse can predict crack micromotion in an ex-vivo model.. PLoS One 2014;9(7):e101230.
- Muir P, Peterson AL, Sample SJ, Scollay MC, Markel MD, Kalscheur VL. Exercise-induced metacarpophalangeal joint adaptation in the Thoroughbred racehorse.. J Anat 2008 Dec;213(6):706-17.
- Firth EC. The response of bone, articular cartilage and tendon to exercise in the horse.. J Anat 2006 Apr;208(4):513-26.
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