Validation of the ultrasonographic assessment of the femoral trochlea epiphyseal cartilage in foals at osteochondrosis predilected sites with magnetic resonance imaging and histology.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive imaging tools are needed to screen foal femoropatellar joints to detect subclinical osteochondrosis lesions due to focal failure of endochondral ossification to enhance early management to optimise intrinsic healing events. Recently investigations employing 3T susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (3T SWI MRI) and CT have demonstrated their capacity for early osteochondrosis diagnosis, but these technologies are not practical for field screening. We postulate that ultrasonography is a valuable field tool for the detection of subclinical osteochondrosis lesions. OBJECTIVES: The goals were to 1) describe the ultrasonographic features of the femoral trochlea of healthy and osteochondrosis-predisposed neonatal foals, 2) validate the capacity of ultrasound to assess cartilage canal vascular archictecture and the ossification front and 3) evaluate field feasibility in a pilot study. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. METHODS: Ultrasonographic evaluation of osteochondrosis predisposed (n = 10) and control (n = 6) femoral trochleas was performed ex vivo and compared with site-matched histological sections and 3T SWI MRI. The articular and epiphyseal cartilage thickness, ossification front indentation and cartilage canal vascular archictecture were assessed at each ROI. Femoral trochleae of foals (n = 3) aged ≈ 1, 3 and 6 months were also evaluated with ultrasonography in field. RESULTS: Ultrasonographic measurements strongly correlated with the histological measurements. There was no difference in the cartilage thickness or ossification front indentation between control and osteochondrosis-predisposed specimens. The cartilage canal vascular archictecture on ultrasonograms corresponded with the vessel pattern observed on site matched histology and 3T SWI MRI. MAIN LIMITATIONS: The number of specimens for study was limited and no early osteochondrosis lesions were present within the predilected group, but a field study is now underway. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonographic examination of the femoral trochlea permitted accurate evaluation of cartilage thickness, cartilage canal vascular archictecture and ossification front indentation in young foals and is a promising, practical tool for screening subclinical osteochondrosis and monitoring and managing lesions at important clinical sites.

Arthroscopic assessment of osteochondrosis of the medial humeral condyle treated with debridement and sliding humeral osteotomy.

OBJECTIVE: To document the progression of disease after an unloading procedure when combined with arthroscopic debridement to treat osteochondrosis (OC) lesions affecting the medial humeral condyle in juvenile dogs without medial compartment disease. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: Dogs with medial humeral condyle OC (n = 6). METHODS: Dogs with medial humeral condyle OC (9 elbows) were treated by arthroscopic debridement of the OC lesion and sliding humeral osteotomy (SHO). Outcomes were assessed by radiography (n = 9), 2nd-look arthroscopy (9) and clinical examination including lameness assessment (9) at 18-28 months after surgery. RESULTS: Seven elbows had marked progression of pathology affecting the medial compartment, 5 elbows developed subsequent fragmentation of the medial coronoid process of the ulna [FMCP], 2 elbows had fibrocartilaginous infill of the humeral defect without development of coronoid pathology. CONCLUSION: This limited case series suggests that medial compartment disease develops despite unloading of the medial compartment using a distal diaphyseal SHO in juvenile dogs with OC.

Assessment of treatment of Osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) of shoulder joint in dogs--the results of two years of experience.

Osteochondrosis is a common and clinically important joint disorder that occurs in human and many species of animals such as pigs, horses and dogs. The aim of this article is to present the results of conservative and surgical treatment of Osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) and to compare the recovery time in relation to race, age and extent of cartilage damage. The study was performed on 36 dogs of both sexes, aged from 4 to 24 months, weighing 12-70 kg, of different breeds (predisposed and non-specific for this disease). All patients underwent clinical, orthopedic and radiological examination through which the location of OCD changes in the shoulder joint and the degree of this problem were established. Based on the examinations the patients were qualified for particular treatment procedures. Control tests were performed after 14, 30 and 60 days, which allowed for a precise evaluation of the progress of therapy. Achieved results indicate that dogs age and the lesions extent in the shoulder joint have an impact on the outcome of treatment. Studies showed that the best therapeutic effects were obtained in dogs aged 6-10 months, which underwent surgery. The study proved that the early diagnosis of OCD strongly influence the recovery rate and may inhibit the development of degenerative changes in the joint (DJD).

Assessment of synovial fluid biomarkers in healthy foals and in foals with tarsocrural osteochondrosis.

Although alterations in biomarkers of cartilage turnover in synovial fluid (SF) have been demonstrated in horses with osteochondrosis (OC), there have been few investigations of such alterations in animals <1 year old. In this study tarsocrural SF samples from foals aged 18, 22 and 52 weeks of age were assessed for: (1) 'turnover' biomarkers of type II collagen (CPII and C2C) and proteoglycan (CS846 and glycosaminoglycans [GAG]); (2) matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity; (3) insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1; (4) transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1; (5) prostaglandin (PG) E(2); and (6) leukotriene B(4). Using a linear mixed model, the concentration of biomarkers was compared between animals that developed or did not develop radiographic evidence of OC at 24 or 48 weeks of age. The CPII:C2C ratio tended to be higher in OC-affected joints compared to controls at all ages, and this difference was statistically significant at 22 weeks of age. The concentrations of CS846 and IGF-1, and the CS846:GAG ratio were reduced in OC-affected joints relative to controls at 18 weeks of age only. At 52 weeks of age, the PGE(2) concentration was lower in joints with OC. Overall, there appears to be a consistent anabolic shift in type II collagen turnover in juvenile joints affected by OC. Aberrant proteoglycan turnover is not a hallmark of the late repair of this lesion but reduced concentrations of IGF-1 in SF may be associated with early-stage lesions.