Survey of veterinarians’ usage and satisfaction with intra-articular polyacrylamide gel in horses.

This research explores veterinarians’ use and satisfaction with polyacrylamide gel for treating joint disorders in horses. The study’s data indicates that this gel is primarily used for chronic synovitis/osteoarthritis and failure of previous joint treatments, with generally positive results and high professional satisfaction.

Methodology

• The research was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed to equine veterinarians. This sample pool was curated through mail lists of the European and American Colleges of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, social media, and direct contact.
• Out of 197 initial respondents, 160 completed the survey, forming the core dataset for descriptive statistical analysis.
• These respondents provided data on their utilization of intra-articular polyacrylamide gel, including treatment protocols, post-treatment rehabilitation plans, clinical outcomes, and their level of satisfaction with the treatment.

Main Findings

• The primary reason for using polyacrylamide gel, as reported by the respondents, was to treat chronic synovitis/osteoarthritis (87.1%) and cases where prior joint treatment had failed (83.6%).
• There were varying treatment protocols, rehabilitation plans, and clinical outcomes reported, influenced by factors such as experience and disciplinary focus of the practitioners.
• Most respondents reported returns to full exercise from week 4 post-treatment.
• Complications, worsening or lack of improvement following treatment were rare events. Commonly observed outcomes were complete recovery, partial improvement, or transient improvement.
• Overall satisfaction rate of the respondents with the treatment was high, averaging 8/10.

Limitations and Conclusions

• The study’s design limited the depth of insights that could be obtained from individual experiences. Potential for respondent bias was also identified, with the majority of respondents being specialized or focused on equine orthopedics.
• Despite these limitations, the survey indicates generally good satisfaction with the use of intra-articular polyacrylamide gel, primarily for managing chronic synovitis/osteoporosis and use following failure of previous joint treatments.
• The low rates of complications reported and the favorable clinical outcomes lend support to the development of standardized guidelines for using this gel treatment and post-treatment rehabilitation protocols for horses.