Final Flashcards
What is the primary determinant of equine joint health?
Articular cartilage
What component of equine articular cartilage synthesizes, organizes, and regulates the composition of the extra-cellular membrane?
Chondrocytes
What type of collagen is present in equine articular cartilage?
Type 2
Which component of equine articular cartilage counteracts the tensile stresses at the joint surface?
Collagen
What type of stress does collagen counteract at the joint surface?
Tensile
Which component of the equine articular cartilage resists compressive forces?
Aggrecan (a proteoglyan)
What force does aggrecan resist?
Compressive
How does articular cartilage receive nutrition?
Motion!
Cartilage has no blood supply
Compression expels water and soluble waste
Relaxation brings in water and soluble waste
What molecule contributes to synovial fluid viscosity?
Hyaluronan
What is the function of the synovial fluid?
Lubricate gliding surface
Nutrition supply and waste removal from cartilage
What is the Matrix Metalloproteinase inhibitor?
Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases (TIMP)
What are aggrecanases?
A distintegrin and metalloproteinase thrombospondin motifs
ADAMTS
What are the inflammatory cytokines in articular cartilage and what do they do?
IL-1 and TNF-a
Increase production of MMPs, oxygen free radicals, and prostaglandins
Inhibit collagen and aggrecan synthesis
Upregulate each other
What is the function of prostaglandins in articular cartilage?
Proteoglycan degradation
Sensitizes nerves to mediators of pain
Production stimulated by IL-1
What types of repair does cartilage undergo?
- Intrinsic: chondrocyte synthetic activity
- Extrinsic: cells from marrow cavity, requires penetration of subchondral bone
- Matrix flow: cartilage melts into fill lesion
What are the major classes of equine joint disease?
- Developmental orthopedic disease
- Traumatic/degenerative arthritis
- Septic arthritis
- Immune-mediated polyarthritis
What are examples of equine developmental orthopedic diseases?
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondritis dessicans
Subchondral bone cysts
Delayed ossification
T/F: traumatic/degenerative osteoarthritis causes irreversible changes to the joint
True
What tissue changes are seen with equine osteoarthritis?
Synovitis
Capsulitis
Ligamentous or meniscal injury
Primary cartilage injury
What is the gold standard in diagnosing equine osteoarthritis?
Arthroscopy
What clinical signs are associated with equine osteoarthritis?
Pain
Synovial effusion
Decreased range of motion
Local inflammation
What would you expect to see on radiographs of a horse with osteoarthritis?
Enthesiophytes
Osteophytes
Joint space narrowing
Subchondral bone sclerosis and/or lysis
Osteochondral fragments
For horses with osteoarthritis, does the severity of radiographic changes correlate with the amount of pain?
NO
What are the main goals in treating equine osteoarthritis?
Remove inciting cause*
Slow the progression of degeneration
Alleviate clinical signs
Restore function
Improve quality of life
How do you treat equine osteoarthritis?
REST
Surgery: remove inciting cause, debridement, repair stimulating techniques, cartilage repair
Medical tx
What types or surgery exist for the treatment of osteoarthritis?
Graft procedures
Arthrodesis
Facilitated ankylosis
Joint stabilizing surgeries (TPLO, TTA, etc)
Joint replacement
What types of medical therapy is used to treat osteoarthritis?
NSAIDs
Corticosteroids
Hyaluronan
Polysulphated glycoaminoglycan
Pentosan polysulphate
What types of corticosteroids are used to treat equine osteoarthritis and what route of administration is most common?
Methylprednisolone acetate: low motion joints
Triamcinolone acetonide: high motion joints
Intra-articular administration
What is the main functions of hyaluronan in the medical treatment of equine osteoarthritis?
Lubrication and anti-inflammatory
What is the function of polysulphated glycosaminoglycan in the medical treatment of equine osteoarthritis?
Stimulates endogenous hyaluronan synthesis
Condroprotective effects
What is the function of pentosan polysulphate in the medical treatment of equine osteoarthritis?
Decreased fibrillation
For early OA only
What biologic therapies exist for the treatment of equine osteoarthritis?
IRAp or ACS
PRP
Stem cells
Gene therpy
What are neutraceuticals?
Supposedly help with osteoarthritis
Do not require FDA approval for safety and efficacy
Glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, cosequin, herbs, antioxidants etc.
What are the 3 types of equine septic arthritis?
Traumatic
Iatrogenic
Hematogenous
T/F: septic arthritis in horses is always an emergency
True
What are the different types of equine hematogenous septic arthritis?
Affect foals!
S-type: synovial membrane and fluid
E-type: subchondral bone of epiphysis -> extends into joint
P-type: physis, may extend into joint
How do you diagnose equine septic arthritis?
Clinical signs
Rads
Synovial fluid (clin path and culture)
Does a lack of bacteria in synovial fluid analysis rule out septic arthritis?
No, you will rarely see bacteria
Mostly will see neutrophils
What organisms would you expect in a synovial fluid culture in a horse? Foal? Cow?
Horse: staph aureus
Foal: enterobacteriaceae, strep, rhodococcus, actinobacillus
Cattle: A. Pyogenes, strep, salmonella, e. coli, mycoplasma
How do you treat septic arthritis?
Broad-spectrum systemic antimicrobial
Synovial lavage
Intra-articular antimicrobials
Regional antibiotic perfusion
Bandage
Analgesia
Arthrotomy
What type of antibiotic administration results in the highest antimicrobial concentration in the synovium?
Intra-articular
When do you stop treatment for septic arthritis?
When there is a significant improvement in effusion and lameness
DO NOT rely on WBC count
What are the 3 criteria for diagnosing immune-mediated polyarthritis?
- Inflammatory process affecting synovium of two or more joints
- No identifiable infectious component
- Responsive to immunosuppressive therapy
What is infraspinatus contracture?
Hyperextension of the forelimb, adduction of the elbow, and abduction of the paw
Caused by acute, traumatic injury to the scapular muscle
Not painful
What is the treatment for infraspinatus contracture?
Tenotomy
Excellent prognosis, full return to function
What type of scapulohumeral luxations are common in small breed dogs? Large breed dogs?
Small breed: medial
Large breeds: lateral
Lateral scapulohumeral luxations are a result of the loss of integrity in what structures?
Infraspinatus muscle
Lateral glenohumeral ligament
Lateral joint capsule
In medial scapulohumeral luxations, what is the success of reduction dictated by?
Integrity/conformation of the glenoid cavity
What two surgical approaches exist to correct a medial scapulohumeral luxation?
- Medial transposition of biceps tendon
2. Arthrodesis
What is bicipital tenosynovitis and how do you treat it?
Chronic, often intermittent lameness caused by inflammation of the biceps tendon, resulting in osteophytosis and mineralization of the humerus
Tx: intra-articular steroid injection or bicipital tendon release
What is the most common type of displacement in traumatic elbow luxations?
Laterally displaced radius and ulna
NEED ORTHOGONAL VIEWS!
How do you treat traumatic elbow luxations?
Reduce ASAP!
Closed or open. Flex the elbow to relocate the anconeal process.
Coapt limb in extension
What types of dogs are prone to congenital elbow luxation?
Small breeds and bulldogs
What is required for normal function to be established in a limb of a dog with a congenital elbow luxation?
Early surgical intervention
What are causes of growth plate disturbances that result in angular limb deformities?
Trauma
Developmental disturbances
Inflammatory disease
What results from premature closure of the distal ulnar physis?
Curved radius
What types of dogs are affected by carpal hyperextension injuries?
Large breed dogs, particularly hunting dogs
What structures are damaged in carpal hyperextension injuries?
Palmar fibrocartilage and ventral carpal ligaments
What causes carpal hyperextension injuries?
Usually trauma, but can also be degenerative
What are the treatments for carpal hyperextension injuries and which is most effective?
Coaptation
Individual ligament repair
Partial carpal arthrodesis
Pancarpal arthrodesis: *most effective
What type of radiographic view do you need to identify the point of instability in a carpal hyperextension injury?
Stressed view
What is the definition of osteochondrosis?
A disturbance in the normal process of endochondral ossification
In small animals, how do you differentiate between osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dessicans?
With OC, animals will not be lame
With OCD, animals will be lame
What are common sites of osteochondrosis in small animals?
Humeral head Humeral condyle Coronoid process Anconeal process Femoral condyles Patella Trochlear ridges of the talus
In small animals, OCD of what bone will reliably cause lameness?
Humeral head
What is the prognosis for return to normal function in small animals that have arthrotomy/arthroscopy for OCD?
Excellent
What are the subcategories of elbow dysplasia?
Ununited anconeal process
OC/OCD of humeral condyle
Fragmented coronoid process
At what age do clinical signs of elbow dysplasia appear?
5-8 months
Mild intermittent lameness, supinated stance, and circumduction of affected limb during the swing phase of stirde are associated with which forelimb disease (small animals)?
Elbow dysplasia
What sex and breeds are predisposed to ununited anconeal process?
Male:female 2:1
German shepherd and Basset hounds
What radiographic view is best to diagnose ununited anconeal processes?
Flexed lateral
At what age can you deem the anconeal process ununited?
20 weeks
What is the treatment for an ununited anconeal process?
Excision of the anconeal process
Stabilization of the anconeal process (lag screw)
Proximal diaphyseal ulnar osteotomoy
What approach to the elbow do you take in treatment of ununited anconeal process?
Caudolateral approach
In small animals, OCD of the humeral condyle mostly affects what part of the condyle?
Trochlea (medial portion)
Which dog breed is most affected by OCD of humeral condyle?
Labrador Retrievers
What radiographic view is best for diagnosing OCD of the humeral condyle?
Craniolateral-caudomedial oblique projection
How can you diagnose fragmented coronoid process from histopathology?
Diffuse microcracks in the subchondral bone consistent with fatigue microdamage
Indicates abnormal biomechanics that lead to asymmetric loading of the elbow
What morphological change to the ulnar notch puts pressure on the medial coronoid process?
It’s more ovoid
How do you diagnose fragmented coronoid process?
Hard to visualize on radiographs
Generally look for secondary degenerative changes in the absence of a UAP or OCD
Usually not present before 7 months of age
What is the treatment for a fragmented coronoid process?
Optimal treatment has yet to be defined
Surgery does nothing for development of DJD
Better outcomes with arthroscopy/Arthrotomy
What is the prognosis for elbow dysplasia?
Degenerative changes are likely to progress regardless of surgical excision
Most dogs are functional pets but questionable athletes or working dogs