MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF THE EQUINE STIFLE

The purpose of this study was to define normal gross anatomic structures in the equine stifle with magnetic resonance images. Magnetic resonance (MR) images were made in sagittal, 15° supinated, transverse, and dorsal planes of two equine stifles. The MR images were scrutinized by comparing MR images to dissection specimens and frozen cross sections of stifle joints. Sagittal and 15° supinated images were the most valuable in assessing articular cartilage, subchondral bone, and soft tissue structures within the joint. Cranial and caudal cruciate ligaments, medial and lateral menisci, meniscotibial and meniscofemoral ligaments, long digital extensor tendon, and patellar ligaments were easily evaluated. MR images provided substantially more gross anatomical information than the currently available imaging modalities.     

Case Report: Recurrence of a Gastrosplenic Ligament Entrapment

A 12-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding presented for evaluation of colic signs. The patient was diagnosed with a gastrosplenic entrapment at surgery. The entrapment was reduced, a jejunoileostomy was performed removing approximately 1m of jejunum and distal ileum, and the patient recovered uneventfully from anesthesia. The patient was discharged 12 days postoperatively. The same horse represented 17 months after the initial surgery for evaluation of signs of colic. A small intestinal strangulation was diagnosed based on the clinical and laboratory examination findings. It was elected to euthanize the horse. Necropsy examination diagnosed a gastrosplenic ligament entrapment of the mid-to-distal jejunum.     

青海牦牛板筋加工工艺研究

本文对青海高原牦牛板筋的加工工艺进行了研究,通过正交试验确定了牦牛板筋的最佳加工工艺条件。结果表明,当添加食盐15g,白砂糖10g,料酒30mL时,在高压锅中煮制60min,制得的牦牛板筋品质佳。     

Postoperative performance of racing horses with tearing of the medial palmar intercarpal ligament

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between medial palmar intercarpal ligament (MPICL) tearing and postoperative performance in racing horses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The postoperative performance of 42 horses in which the midcarpal joint was examined arthroscopically was followed prospectively. Intra-articular variables examined were the severity of MPICL tearing, subchondral bone damage and articular cartilage damage. Using a scoring system based on the class of race and the position in the race, a mean score was calculated for up to five races before and after surgery. The preoperative score was subtracted from the postoperative score to give a net score. Statistical analysis was by a Mann Whitney U test and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Thirty-two (76%) raced postoperatively, 23 (55%) won at least one race and 12 of 26 (46%) performed at the same or higher level. Horses with grades 2 to 4 MPICL tearing had significantly lower net scores than those with grade 1 or no tearing. The severity of subchondral bone damage was the only variable on its own that was significantly correlated with net score (r2 = 0.23, P < 0.05). The addition of the grade of MPICL tearing to bone damage significantly improved the prediction of postoperative performance (P < 0.05). The inclusion of articular cartilage damage had no effect on the prediction of postoperative performance. CONCLUSION: Tears involving more than one third of the MPICL as observed arthroscopically have a significant detrimental affect on postoperative performance of racing horses.     

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE AND NORMAL ANATOMIC FEATURES OF THE SACROILIAC REGION IN HORSES

The purpose of this study was to establish the normal percutaneous ultrasonographic appearance of anatomic structures within the equine sacroiliac region. Percutaneous ultrasonography was performed in a cranial-to-caudal direction in 10 normal adult live horses. The following structures were examined in detail: supraspinous ligament, lumbar and sacral spinous processes, thoracolumbar fascia and its caudal extension, tubera sacralia, ilial wings, dorsal and lateral portions of the dorsal sacroiliac ligaments, lateral part of the sacrum, and the lateral sacral crest. After ultrasonography, all animals were euthanized and detailed dissection of the lumbosacropelvic region was performed in six horses. Four lumbosacropelvic specimens were frozen and sectioned transversely for evaluation of cross-sectional anatomy. Gross anatomic findings were correlated with ante-mortem ultrasonographic images. On percutaneous ultrasonography, all horses had tubera sacralia with a mild-to-moderate roughened surface with occasional irregular hyperechoic mineralizations located within the apophyseal cartilage of younger horses. At the level of the tuber sacrale the caudal extension of the thoracolumbar fascia joined the dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and assumed two different configurations relative to the dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament, with the predominant configuration of the thoracolumbar fascia located medial to the dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament. The less frequently encountered configuration had the thoracolumbar fascia positioned dorsal to the dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament. Caudal to the tuber sacrale the dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and thoracolumbar fascia consolidated to form a single, fused structure with a common insertion on the sacral spinous processes. A large variability in linear fiber pattern, echogenicity (small focal hypoechoic areas), ligament height, and cross-sectional measurements was identified in the fused dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and thoracolumbar fascia of normal horses. Diagnosing mild-to-moderate desmitis of the fused dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and thoracolumbar fascia based solely on ultrasonography may therefore be difficult. To correlate ultrasonography with histology, samples of a fused dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and thoracolumbar fascia with bilateral hypoechoic lesions were submitted for histology and revealed diffuse mild-to-moderate loss of fiber density, multifocal fibrocyte degeneration, and cartilagenous metaplasia with multifocal, mild myofiber mineralization, which was compatible with age-related changes. As controls, sections of ultrasonographically normal fused dorsal portion of the dorsal sacroiliac ligament and thoracolumbar fascia from three horses demonstrated similar but milder histologic findings, which were considered normal.     

LOW-FIELD MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF EARLY SUBCHONDRAL CYST-LIKE LESIONS IN INDUCED CRANIAL CRUCIATE LIGAMENT DEFICIENT DOGS

Six healthy adult male mongrel dogs underwent cranial cruciate ligament transection in the left stifle. Survey radiography of both stifles and low-field (0.064 T) MRI of the left stifle were performed preoperatively and at 2, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively. Focal changes in signal intensity were seen with MRI in the subchondral bone of the medial tibial condyle at 2 and 6 weeks postoperatively. At 12 weeks postoperative, a cyst-like lesion was detected using MRI in the subchondral bone of the medial tibial condyle in 4 of 6 dogs and a less defined lesion at this site in the remaining 2 dogs. The cyst-like lesion was spherical in shape and showed typical characteristics of fluid with low signal intensity on T1-weighted images, high signal intensity on T2-weighted images and high signal intensity on inversion recovery images. The lesion was seen in the subchondral bone of the caudal medial and/or middle region of the tibial plateau slightly cranial to the insertion of the caudal cruciate ligament. No subchondral cysts were seen in the tibia on radiographs. Histopathologically, the tibia was characterized by a loose myxomatous phase of early subchondral cyst formation.