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Veterinary surgery : VS2020; 49(4); 778-786; doi: 10.1111/vsu.13387

Subchondral lucencies of the proximal tibia in 17 horses.

Abstract: To describe subchondral lucencies (SCL) in the equine proximal tibia, several treatment options, and clinical outcomes. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Seventeen horses with proximal tibial SCL. Methods: Medical record and radiograph review. Follow-up was obtained via examination and radiography when possible and by telephone and race records when required. The median duration of follow-up was 20 months (range, 0-48). Results: Proximal tibial SCL were associated with lameness in 14 of 17 horses. Subchondral lucencies were primary in 11 horses and secondary to an ipsilateral medial femoral condyle SCL in six horses. One foal with a primary SCL was euthanized because of osteomyelitis. Six horses ≤1 year old with primary SCL were managed with exercise restrictions only; SCL in three horses without lameness decreased in size, whereas three horses with lameness did not improve. One young horse treated with surgical debridement failed to improve and was euthanized. Lameness resolved in three horses with primary tibial SCL treated with screw fixation. Screw fixation of secondary SCL in five horses led to a reduction in SCL size and degree of lameness. Conclusions: Primary tibial SCL healed with rest in 3 non-lame young horses with small SCL, but was not successful in lame horses with larger SC. Radiographic size and associated lameness improved or resolved with screw fixation in primary and secondary proximal tibial SCL. Conclusions: Primary tibial SCL that did not cause lameness healed with conservative management, but persistent primary and secondary tibial SCL required screw fixation to reduce lameness.
© 2020 The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
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Publication Date: 2020-02-07 PubMed ID: 32031290DOI: 10.1111/vsu.13387Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research article explores the occurrence of subchondral lucencies (SCL) in the proximal tibia of horses, their treatment options, and the clinical outcomes of these treatments. The study suggests that primary tibial SCL that does not cause lameness can heal with conservative management, but persistent primary and secondary tibial SCL may require screw fixation to reduce lameness.

About the Study

  • The researchers conducted a retrospective study, investigating 17 horse cases which presented subchondral lucencies (SCL) in their proximal tibia.
  • This study was conducted using a comprehensive review of the horses’ medical records and radiographs.
  • The team carried out follow-ups on the horses’ conditions through additional examinations and radiography when feasible, and via telephone and race records when required.
  • The median duration of these follow-ups was approximately 20 months, ranging from zero to 48 months.

Research Findings

  • 14 out of 17 horses with proximal tibial SCL were found to have lameness associated with the condition.
  • In 11 of these, SCL were the primary cause. In contrast, in the remaining 6 horses, the SCL were secondary to an ipsilateral medial femoral condyle SCL.
  • One young horse euthanized due to osteomyelitis was discovered to have a primary SCL.
  • Six horses aged 1 year old or less with primary SCL were managed with exercise restrictions only. In three of these, the SCL reduced in size and did not exhibit any lameness, while the remaining three which were lame, did not show any improvement.
  • A young horse that underwent surgical debridement for treatment did not show any improvement and was eventually put down.

Treatment Outcomes

  • Three horses with primary tibial SCL experienced resolved lameness after being treated with screw fixation.
  • The same treatment was used on five horses with secondary SCL. It led to a reduction in SCL size and degree of lameness.
  • Overall, it was observed that primary tibial SCL that did not exhibit lameness healed with a conservative treatment approach, such as rest in non-lame young horses with less prominent SCL.
  • However, persistent primary and secondary tibial SCL required a more rigorous form of intervention, which in this study was screw fixation, to reduce lameness.

Cite This Article

APA
Santschi EM, Whitman JL, Prichard MA, Lopes MAF, Pigott JH, Brokken MT, Jenson PW, Johnson CR, Morrow C, Brusie RW, Juzwiak JS, Morehead JP. (2020). Subchondral lucencies of the proximal tibia in 17 horses. Vet Surg, 49(4), 778-786. https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.13387

Publication

Veterinary surgery : VS
ISSN: 1532-950X
NlmUniqueID: 8113214
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 49
Issue: 4
Pages: 778-786

Researcher Affiliations

Santschi, Elizabeth M
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.
Whitman, Jeremy L
  • Equine Medical Associates, Lexington, Kentucky.
Prichard, Michael A
  • Equine Medical Associates, Lexington, Kentucky.
Lopes, Marco A F
  • Equine Health and Performance Centre, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Pigott, John H
  • Wisconsin Equine Clinic and Hospital, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
Brokken, Matthew T
  • Veterinary Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
Jenson, Paul W
  • Jenson Equine Hospital, Sunland Park, New Mexico.
Johnson, Christopher R
  • Equine Surgical Services, Lexington, Kentucky.
Morrow, Chris
  • Mobile Veterinary Practice, Amarillo, Texas.
Brusie, Robert W
  • Palm Beach Equine Clinic, Wellington, Florida.
Juzwiak, James S
  • Manor Equine Hospital, Monkton, Maryland.
Morehead, James P
  • Equine Medical Associates, Lexington, Kentucky.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Density
  • Bone Screws / veterinary
  • Debridement / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / surgery
  • Horses / physiology
  • Horses / surgery
  • Lameness, Animal / surgery
  • Radiography / veterinary
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tibia / physiopathology
  • Tibia / surgery

References

This article includes 19 references
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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Moreno CR, Santschi EM, Janes J, Liu J, Kim DG, Litsky AS. Compression generated by cortical screws in an artificial bone model of an equine medial femoral condylar cyst. Vet Surg 2022 Jul;51(5):833-842.
    doi: 10.1111/vsu.13814pubmed: 35394080google scholar: lookup
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