Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse with joint pain from lead foreign body - what to do?
By Crabill, M R et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1994·Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Lead foreign body arthropathy in a horse.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A Quarter Horse gelding was diagnosed with joint disease caused by a piece of lead that had gotten into his right front leg joint. During a procedure to look inside the joint and remove the lead, the veterinarian found that the joint lining was discolored and swollen. The lead was identified as a small sphere, and further examination showed signs of long-term inflammation in the joint lining. This condition, known as lead arthropathy, leads to ongoing pain, limited movement, and swelling in the joint. The treatment involved removing the lead, which is necessary to help relieve the horse's symptoms.
Abstract
A diagnosis of degenerative joint disease secondary to an intra-articular metallic foreign body in the right metacarpophalangeal joint was made in a Quarter Horse gelding. Arthroscopy, performed to evaluate the joint and remove the foreign body, revealed yellow discoloration of the articular cartilage and synovium, and blunting and proliferation of the synovium. The foreign body was identified as a lead sphere. Microscopic examination of synovium revealed chronic synovitis, with accumulation of hemosiderin and multifocal, mild mineralization. Another pigment was evident extracellularly in the synovium. Lead arthropathy was diagnosed. Lead arthropathy results from the dissolution of intra-articular lead, causing signs of chronic pain, restricted motion, joint effusion, and synovial proliferation.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7829382/