Download PDF
Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 1992; 05(01): 01-09
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1633122
Original Research
Schattauer GmbH

Effects of Tendon Splitting on Experimentally-Induced Acute Equine Tendinitis

R. W. Henninger
1   Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and the Ohio, USA
,
L. R. Bramlage
1   Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and the Ohio, USA
,
M. Bailey
1   Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and the Ohio, USA
,
A. L. Bertone
1   Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and the Ohio, USA
,
S. E. Weisbrode
2   Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received for publication: 30 January 1991

Publication Date:
06 February 2018 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Summary

The objective of this study was to compare the early phases of healing between surgically split and unsplit (control) tendons in a superficial digital flexor tendinitis model. Tendinitis was induced in both forelimbs of six horses by injection with collagenase. One tendon from each horse was randomly chosen to undergo tendon splitting. In six horses, the tendons were evaluated by ultrasonography before (week 0) and after (week 1) the onset of tendinitis and at weeks two, three, and four following tendon splitting. Three horses were euthanatized at the end of week four. Three horses were maintained for an additional month and evaluated at week eight before euthanasia. Following euthanasia, microangiographic and histologic evaluations were performed. Ultrasonographic evaluation revealed a significant (p <0.05) decrease in mean tendon lesion area in the split tendons when compared to the controls at weeks three, four, and eight. By week eight, all lesions had resolved in the split but not the control tendons. Mean lesion grade was lower in the split tendons at weeks two, three, four, and eight. Tendon area was similar (p >0.05) between groups at all periods after surgery. There was a more mature vascular pattern and greater peritendinous vascular response in the split tendons compared to control tendons. Histological examination under plain and polarized light revealed more normal collagen orientation and wave formation in the repair tissue in the split tendons at weeks four and eight. The fibroblast nuclei density was significantly (p <0.05) lower in the split tendons at week eight. These findings suggest that during the time period of this study, tendon splitting results in a more rapid decrease in lesion size and superior repair tissue organization when compared to controls.

In a collagenase-induced tendinitis model, tendon splitting was shown to result in a greater reduction in tendon lesion size and superior repair tissue organization when compared to control tendons.

Keywords

Tendon - equine tendinitis - tendon splitting - microangiography - ultrasonography
 

  • REFERENCES

  • 1 Evans JH, Barbenel JC. Structural and mechanical properties of tendon related to function. Equine Vet J 1975; 7: 1-8.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Fackelman GE. The nature of tendon damage and its repair. Equine Vet J 1973; 5: 141-9.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Mcllwraith CW. Diseases of joints, tendons and related structures. In: Adams Lameness in Horses. Stashak TS. (ed). Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger; 1987: 447-51.
    Google Scholar
  • 4 Genovese RL, Rantanen NW, Hauser ML, Simpson BS. Diagnostic ultrasonography of equine limbs. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 1986; 2 (01) 187-205.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Reef VB, Martin BB, Elser A. Types of tendon and ligament injuries detected with diagnosticultrasound:description and follow-up. Proc Am Assoc Equine Pract 1988; 34: 245-7.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Webbon PM. Equine tendon stress injuries. Equine Vet J 1973; 5: 58-64.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Norberg AI, Raker CW, Dodd D. Equine tendinitis - an angiographic and histologic study. Proc Am Assoc Equine Pract 1967; 13: 243-55.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Stromberg B, Tufvesson G. Lesions of the superficial flexor tendon in race horses. A microangiographic and histopathologic study. Clin Orthop Rel Res 1969; 62: 113-23.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Stromberg B. The normal and diseased superficial flexor tendon in racehorses. Acta Radiol Suppl 1971; Suppl305: 90-3.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Ketchum LD. Tendon healing. In: Fundamentals of Wound Management. Hunt TK, Dunphy JE. (eds). New York: Appelton Century Crofts; 1979: 53122-23.
    Google Scholar
  • 11 McCullah KG. Tendon injuries and their treatment in the horse. Vet Rec 1979; 105: 54-7.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 McCullah KG, Silver IA. The actual cautery - Myth and reality in the art of firing. Equine Vet J 1981; 13: 81-4.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Silver IA, Brown PM, Goodship AE. A clinical and experimental study of tendon injury, healing and treatment in the horse. Equine Vet J 1983; 1 Suppl 5-32.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Littlewood HE. Treatment of sprained tendons in horses with carbon fiber implants. Vet Rec 1979; 105: 223-4.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Watkins JP, Auer JA, Morgan SJ, Gay S. Healing of surgically created defects in the equine superficial digital flexor tendon: effects of pulsing electromagnetic field therapy on collagen-type transformation and tissue morphologic reorganization. Am J Vet Res 1985; 46: 2097-103.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Spurlock GH, Spurlock SL. Evaluation of Hylartin V therapy for induced tendonitis in the horse. Equine Vet Sei 1989; 9: 242-6.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Asheim A. Surgical treatment of tendon injuries in the horse. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1964; 145: 447-51.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Asheim A, Knudsen O. Percutaneous tendon splitting. Proc Am Assoc Equine Pract 1967; 13: 255-62.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Knudsen O. Percutaneous tendon splitting-methods and results. Equine Vet J 1976; 8: 101-3.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Nilsson G. A survey of the results of the tendon splitting operation for chronic tendinitis in the horse. Equine Vet J 1968; 1: 111-5.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Nilsson G, Bjorck G. Surgical treatment of chronic tendinitis in the horse. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1969; 155: 920-7.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Stromberg B, Tufvesson G, Nilsson G. Effect of surgical splitting on vascular reactions in the superfical flexor tendon in the horse. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1974; 164: 57-60.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Rhinelander FW, Stewart CL, Wilson JW. Bone Vascular Supply. In: Skeletal Research: An Experimental Approach. Simmons DJ, Kunin AS. (eds). New York: Academic Press; 1979: 367-95.
    CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Spurlock GH, Spurlock SL, Parker GA. Ultrasonographic,grossand histologic evaluation of a tendinitis disease model in the horse. Vet Radiol 1989; 30: 184-8.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Williams IE, McCullagh KG, Goodship AE, Silver IA. Studies on the pathogenesis of equine tendonitis following collagenasc injury. Res Vet Sei 1984; 36: 326-38.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Williams IF, McCullagh KG, Silver IA. The distribution of types I and III collagen and fibronectin in the healing equine tendon. Connect Tissue Res 1984; 12: 211-27.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Reef VB, Martin BB, Stebbins K. Comparison of ultrasonographic, gross, and histologic appearence of tendon injuries in performance horses. Proc 35 Annu Meet Am Assoc Equine Pract 1989; 35: 279.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Webbon PM. A post mortem study of equine digital flexor tendons. Equine Vet J 1977; 9: 61-7.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Wolman M. On the use of polarized light in pathology. Pathol Annu 1970; 5: 381-416.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Wheat JD. New aspects on the pathology of tendon injury. Proc Am Assoc Equine Pract 1962; 8: 27-31.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 31 Banes AJ, Enterline D, Bevin AG, Salisbury RE. Effects of trauma and partial devascularization on protein synthesis in the avian flexor profundus tendon. J Trauma 1981; 21: 505-12.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 32 Garner WL, McDonald JA, Koo M, Kuhn C, Weeks PM. Identification of the collagen-producing cells in healing flexor tendons. J Plast Reconstr Surg 1989; 83: 875-9.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 33 Manskc PR, Gelberman RH, Vande Berg JS, Lesker PA. Intrinsic flexor-tendon repair. J Bone Joint Surg 1984; 66-A: 385-95.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 34 Peacock EE, Van Winkle W. Repair of tendons and restoration of gliding function. In: Wound Repair. Peacock EE, Van Winkle W. (eds). Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders; 1984: 263-9.
    Google Scholar
  • 35 Bertone AL, Stashak TS, Smith FW, Norrdin RW. A comparison of repair methods for gap healing in equine flexor tendon. Vet Surg 1990; 19: 254-65.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 36 Watkins JP, Auer JA, Gay S, Morgan SJ. Healing of surgically created defects in the equine superficial digital flexor tendon: collagen-type transformation and tissue morphologic reorganization. Am J Vet Res 1985; 46: 2091-6.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 37 Webbon PM. Preliminary study of tendon biopsy in the horse. Equine Vet J 1982; 18: 383-7.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar