Evaluation of ethyl alcohol for use in a minimally invasive technique for equine proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis.
Authors: Wolker Ryan R E, Wilson David G, Allen Andrew L, Carmalt James L
Journal: Veterinary surgery : VS
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Ethyl Alcohol for Equine PIP Joint Arthrodesis Proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis in horses is challenging, and this 2011 study investigated whether intra-articular 70% ethyl alcohol—with or without percutaneously placed transarticular lag screws—could reliably achieve fusion in the equine digit. Six young, sound horses received alcohol injection into diagonally paired front and hind PIP joints, with hind joints additionally stabilised by two 5.5 mm cortical screws in lag fashion and casting for 60 days post-operatively. Over a 10-month follow-up period involving serial lameness examinations and radiographic assessment, only one front and one hind joint achieved radiographic fusion, whilst all treated joints demonstrated variable cartilage thinning and dorsal bone proliferation, with more severe changes in the hind limbs. These findings demonstrate that ethyl alcohol alone—or combined with transarticular screw fixation—does not reliably induce PIP joint arthrodesis in sound horses, suggesting that alternative chemical or mechanical approaches warrant investigation for practitioners seeking minimally invasive fusion techniques in digit pathology.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Intra-articular ethyl alcohol injection alone is not a reliable method for achieving PIP joint arthrodesis in clinical practice
- •Even when combined with transarticular screws and immobilization, this technique produced fusion in only 1 of 6 joints, making it unsuitable for routine use
- •Practitioners should continue using established arthrodesis methods rather than relying on this minimally invasive ethyl alcohol approach
Key Findings
- •Intra-articular 70% ethyl alcohol alone resulted in fusion of only 1 of 6 front PIP joints at 10 months
- •Ethyl alcohol combined with transarticular lag screws and casting achieved fusion in only 1 of 6 hind PIP joints at 10 months
- •Treated joints showed variable cartilage thinning and dorsal bone proliferation but unreliable arthrodesis
- •Minimally invasive ethyl alcohol technique failed to reliably produce PIP joint fusion in healthy horses