Evaluation of experimental impact injury for inducing post-traumatic osteoarthritis in the metacarpophalangeal joints of horses.

Objective: To determine whether a single contusive impact injury to the palmar aspect of the metacarpus would progress to post-traumatic osteoarthritis or palmar osteochondral disease in horses.

Animals: 12 horses.

Procedures: In each horse, an impact injury was created on the palmar aspect of the medial metacarpal condyle of 1 randomly chosen limb with an impactor device under arthroscopic and fluoroscopic guidance.

Concentrated bone marrow aspirate improves full-thickness cartilage repair compared with microfracture in the equine model.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of treatment with bone marrow aspirate concentrate, a simple, one-step, autogenous, and arthroscopically applicable method, with the outcomes of microfracture with regard to the repair of full-thickness cartilage defects in an equine model.

Methods: Extensive (15-mm-diameter) full-thickness cartilage defects were created on the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur in twelve horses. Bone marrow was aspirated from the sternum and centrifuged to generate the bone marrow concentrate.