Treatment of carpometacarpal osteoarthritis by arthrodesis in 12 horses.

The research focuses on the effectiveness of arthrodesis, a procedure that fuses bones, as a treatment for carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis, a condition affecting horses. The results indicated that the procedure allowed most horses to return to their original activities and was perceived as successful by owners.

Background and Purpose

• This study was designed to evaluate arthrodesis as a viable treatment for Carpometacarpal Joint Osteoarthritis (CMC-OA). This condition affects the joints of horses, creating pain and potentially preventing them from performing their typical activities.

Methods

• The researchers carried out a case series study involving twelve horses with CMC-OA. They performed arthrodesis by drilling into the CMC joint at various locations in 15 limbs in total.
• Follow-up radiographs were captured for nine limbs belonging to seven of the twelve horses. The outcomes of the treatment were then determined via phone surveys conducted with the owners, focusing on factors like postoperative pain, the horse’s return to use, the appearance of the limb, and the overall success of the treatment.

Results

• The study found that ten of the twelve horses experienced slight to moderate postoperative pain during the first 30 days. However, within six months, 11 of the 12 horses showed significant improvement and were able to go back to work.
• Results of the follow-up radiographs showed that six of the CMC joints had undergone bony ankylosis, which indicated a successful arthrodesis, while the remaining three did not.
• In terms of long-term effects (around 28.6 months), all horses displayed a reduction in lameness, 10 of 12 considered “sound”, eight were able to return to their original activity, and all horse owners reported high satisfaction with the arthrodesis treatment.

Conclusions

• This study suggests that the drilling technique used for CMC arthrodesis, which resulted in the fusion of most CMC joints, allowed many horses to return to their regular routines and was perceived as highly successful by all parties involved. As a result, the authors suggest this method as an option for treating CMC-OA in horses.