Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Reattachment of Osteochondritis Dissecans Lesions in the Lateral Femoral Trochlear Ridge With Bioabsorbable Screws in 4 Yearling Standardbreds.
- Journal:
- Journal of equine veterinary science
- Year:
- 2023
- Authors:
- Bertuglia, Andrea et al.
- Affiliation:
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study looked at a new surgical method for fixing a specific type of joint problem called osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in the knees of four young Standardbred horses, each about a year old. The horses had a total of six lesions that were treated using special screws that dissolve over time, which helped reattach the damaged cartilage. After the surgery, all the horses recovered well and were sent home without any issues. Follow-up checks at six and twelve months showed that the lesions healed properly, and the horses were able to return to their regular training for racing. Overall, the treatment was successful.
Abstract
This case series describes an alternative surgical technique to obtain reattachment of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions in the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur (LTRF) as well as the clinical and radiological outcome of treated cases. Four Standardbred yearlings (6 lesions in total) underwent surgical fixation of large OCD defects in the LTRF under arthroscopic guidance. Reattachment of the OCD lesions was obtained using 3.0/3.7 mm headless bio-compression and absorbable poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) screws, inserted perpendicularly to the cartilage surface through the lesion. All horses were discharged from the hospital without complications. Clinical and radiological follow-up were collected and reviewed at 6 and 12 months post-operatively. Successful healing of the OCD lesions occurred in all cases based on radiographic evaluations, associated with a reduction of femoro-patellar effusion. All horses presented in this case series were able to enter regular training program as racehorses.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36773855/