Diagnostic needle arthroscopy of the tarsocrural joint in standing sedated horses.
Authors: Kadic Dimitri T N, Bonilla Alvaro G
Journal: Veterinary surgery : VS
Summary
# Diagnostic Needle Arthroscopy of the Tarsocrural Joint in Standing Sedated Horses Kadic and Bonilla have developed a minimally invasive diagnostic technique using a 1.2-mm needle arthroscope to visualise the tarsocrural joint in standing sedated horses, addressing the clinical need for alternative diagnostic approaches when conventional radiography and ultrasonography prove inconclusive. Their two-phase study first optimised the technique on six cadaveric limbs, then validated feasibility in six healthy horses using a custom-designed splint to maintain consistent joint flexion throughout examination. Both dorsomedial and dorsolateral approaches successfully permitted thorough evaluation of the joint's dorsal intra-articular structures, with the procedure performed quickly and without requiring general anaesthesia—eliminating associated costs and recovery risks. Moderate patient movement occurred in 2 of 6 horses and haemarthrosis in 3 of 6, primarily attributable to inadvertent vascular puncture during cannula introduction; these complications suggest the technique requires careful technique refinement, particularly regarding entry point precision. For equine practitioners, needle arthroscopy represents a valuable diagnostic alternative for investigating tarsocrusal pathology in standing patients, though further research into its application for therapeutic interventions and strategies to minimise haemarthrosis would strengthen its clinical utility.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Needle arthroscopy provides a practical diagnostic alternative for hock problems when ultrasound and radiographs are inconclusive, without requiring costly general anesthesia
- •The technique is suitable for standing examination but operator must take care with dorsomedial vascular structures to avoid hemarthrosis complications
- •Current evidence supports diagnostic use only; further research needed before attempting therapeutic interventions through needle arthroscopy
Key Findings
- •Needle arthroscopy (1.2-mm) successfully visualized dorsal tarsocrural joint structures via dorsomedial and dorsolateral approaches in cadavers and standing horses
- •Procedure was feasible, quick, and well-tolerated in 6 standing sedated horses without general anesthesia
- •Hemarthrosis occurred in 3/6 horses due to inadvertent puncture of dorsomedial vasculature, representing the primary complication