Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Severe acute inflammatory reaction (SAIR) of the fetlock joint after intraarticular hyaluronate injection in a horse.
- Journal:
- Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T
- Year:
- 2006
- Authors:
- Kuemmerle, J M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Vienna University of Veterinary Medicine
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 13-year-old Haflinger mare received an injection of hyaluronate (a substance used to treat joint issues) in her fetlock joint to help with osteoarthritis. About ten hours later, she developed a serious inflammatory reaction in that joint. While waiting for test results on the joint fluid, the veterinarians started treatment for a possible infection, but the tests showed no signs of sepsis. After giving her anti-inflammatory medication, her condition improved, and she went home three days later. However, when she received another hyaluronate injection four days after returning home, the inflammation came back strongly, requiring more anti-inflammatory medication and a corticosteroid injection to finally resolve the issue.
Abstract
Hyaluronate (HA) was administered by intra-articular injection to a 13-year-old Haflinger mare for treatment of metacarpophalangeal osteoarthritis. Ten hours after the injection, a severe inflammatory reaction developed in the treated joint. While awaiting results of synovial fluid analysis, treatment for iatrogenic infectious arthritis was initiated, but the analysis did not confirm sepsis. Clinical signs improved significantly following systemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication and the horse was discharged three days later. Following an intravenous hyaluronate injection, four days after discharge, the synovitis recurred. Synovial fluid analysis did not show any abnormalities, but the clinical signs were severe. The severe acute inflammatory reaction required systemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and intra-articular corticosteroid treatment in order to resolve the problem.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17143396/