Blind Versus Ultrasound-Guided Low-Volume Perineural Injection of Tibial and Fibular Nerves in Equine Cadaver Limbs.

Techniques for local anesthesia of the tibial (TN) and superficial and deep fibular nerves (FNs) in horses are well established. Ultrasound-guided perineural blocks can identify the nerve location, reduce the anesthetic volume needed and avoid needle misplacement. The aim of this research was to compare the success of blind perineural injection technique (BLIND) to ultrasound-guided technique (USG).

The Effect of Capacitive-Resistive Electrical Therapy on Neck Pain and Dysfunction in Horses.

Neck pain and stiffness are increasingly recognized in horses and often treated using multimodal pharmaceutical and rehabilitation approaches. In humans, deep tissue heating is reported to reduce neck pain and increase flexibility. The objective of this project was to determine the effects of capacitive-resistive electrical therapy on neck pain and stiffness in horses.

An Alternate Radiographic Guided Technique for Injection of the Equine Navicular Bursa Using a 40 mm (1.5-inch) 20-Gauge Needle: A Pilot Study.

Injection of the equine navicular bursa can be technically challenging, and inadvertent penetration of other synovial structures is common using previously described techniques. When injecting the navicular bursa, inadvertent penetration of other synovial structures and hoof configuration can affect success rate, especially when performed by inexperienced operators. The aim of this study is to describe an alternate radiographic guided technique for injection of the equine navicular bursa that consistently avoids penetration of the distal interphalangeal joint using a 40 mm (1.

Microfracture Augmentation With Trypsin Pretreatment and Growth Factor-Functionalized Self-assembling Peptide Hydrogel Scaffold in an Equine Model.

Background: Microfracture augmentation can be a cost-effective single-step alternative to current cartilage repair techniques. Trypsin pretreatment combined with a growth factor-functionalized self-assembling KLD hydrogel ("functionalized hydrogel") has been shown to improve overall cartilage repair and integration to surrounding tissue in small animal models of osteochondral defects.

Hypothesis: Microfracture combined with trypsin treatment and a functionalized hydrogel will improve reparative tissue quality and integration as compared with microfracture alone in an equine model.

Current joint therapy usage in equine practice: Changes in the last 10 years.

Background: Osteoarthritis is a common clinical condition in the performance horse. In the last 10 years, there has been substantial growth in understanding of the disease and in the development of novel therapies.

Objectives: To document changes in clinical use of joint therapies over the past 10 years.

Trypsin Pre-Treatment Combined With Growth Factor Functionalized Self-Assembling Peptide Hydrogel Improves Cartilage Repair in Rabbit Model.

The objective of this study was to improve cartilage repair and integration using self-assembling KLD hydrogel functionalized with platelet-derived growth factor-BB and heparin-binding insulin-like growth factor-1 with associated enzymatic trypsin pre-treatment of the native cartilage. Bilateral osteochondral defects were created at the central portion of the femoral trochlear groove of 48 skeletally mature, white New Zealand rabbits. One limb received a randomly assigned treatment and the contralateral limb served as the control.

Enzyme Pretreatment plus Locally Delivered HB-IGF-1 Stimulate Integrative Cartilage Repair .

A critical attribute for the long-term success of cartilage defect repair is the strong integration between the repair tissue and the surrounding native tissue. Current approaches utilized by physicians fail to achieve this attribute, leading to eventual relapse of the defect. This article demonstrates the concept of a simple, clinically viable approach for enhancing tissue integration via the combination of a safe, transient enzymatic treatment with a locally delivered, retained growth factor through an hydrogel/cartilage explant model.