How to Perform Ethyl Alcohol Arthrodesis of the Tarsometatarsal Joint in the Standing Horse

1. Introduction
Ethyl alcohol arthrodesis of the tarsometatarsal joint in the horse is a new technique developed to alleviate the pain associated with osteoarthritis of the tarsometatarsal and distal intertarsal joints (bone spavin).¹  Ethyl alcohol is administered into the tarsometatarsal joint to facilitate chemical arthrodesis of the joint. The mechanism of action of ethyl alcohol is through non-selective protein denaturation and cell protoplasm precipitation and dehydration.1 Ethyl alcohol also functions as a neurolytic agent that results in a sensory innervation blockade at the intraarticular level. The neurolytic and non-selective protein-destructive properties contribute to its success at disrupting the cartilaginous matrix, causing necrosis of the chondrocytes, and hastening arthrodesis.1 Ethyl alcohol is inexpensive and readily available to most practitioners.

Osteoarthritis of the small tarsal joints is one of the leading causes of hindlimb lameness in the performance horse.²  Several options are available to treat horses with osteoarthritis of the tarsometatarsal and distal intertarsal joints; they include systemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and intra-articular corticosteroids.³  This medical management option is often combined with adjunctive treatments such as systemic or intra-articular hyaluronate⁴  and oral administration of glucosamine.⁵ [...]