Controlling Effusion Following Arthroscopic Removal of Tarsocrural Joint OCD’s

Abstract

Osteochondrosis (OC) is a general term used to describe an abnormality in the growth and maturation of joint cartilage. It is one of the most important and most common developmental orthopaedic disorder affecting joints in horses. One of the most affected joints is the tarsocrural joint which has several predilection sites, the most common being the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia (DIRT), followed by the lateral trochlear ridge and the medial malleolus of the talus. Common signs of an osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesion in a tarsocrural joint include non-painful joint effusion without lameness. The typical radiograph series for diagnosing an OCD lesion of the tarsocrural joint include DPl, LM, DL-PlMO, DM-PlLO and views. The best view for visualisation of DIRT lesions is a DM-PlLO oblique view.