Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ultrasonic debridement with stem cell therapy of suspensory branch desmitis in an equine patient.
- Journal:
- Open veterinary journal
- Year:
- 2019
- Authors:
- Kamineni, Srinath et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old male thoroughbred horse was having trouble training because of ongoing issues with a condition called suspensory branch desmitis, which affects the ligaments. After trying other treatments without success, the horse underwent a new procedure called ultrasonic debridement, along with an injection of stem cells taken from its own body to help heal the damaged area. Following the surgery, the horse recovered quickly and was able to start training again within 16 weeks, eventually winning several races. Follow-up imaging showed that the ligament had healed completely, and over the next three years, the horse continued to train and race without any further injuries. This case is the first to show that this combination of treatments can be successful for this type of ligament injury in horses.
Abstract
Ultrasonic debridement as a treatment for tendinopathy and desmitis is a relatively new approach in orthopedic surgery. Previously only used in limited cases, this procedure shows promise for treating ligament-bone and tendon-bone interface injuries. We present a case study of a 2-yr-old thoroughbred male horse, unable to train due to recalcitrant symptoms after extensive conservative management of suspensory branch desmitis. It was then treated with ultrasonic debridement and concurrent manubrial stem cell autograft injection, to treat the ultrasound visualized lesion. Post-surgically, the patient recovered quickly, began training within 16 wk, and went onto win several races. Repeat ultrasound imaging reveals a complete restoration of the internal fiber architecture of the ligament. With a 3-yr follow-up, there has been consistent training and race performance with no re-injury. This study is the first to document the successful outcome of ultrasonic debridement with concurrent stem cell injection in the treatment of equine desmitis.
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/31086767/