What Is New in Stifle Arthroscopy?

OCD of the FP joint is a common indication to perform arthroscopic surgery of the stifle joint in warmblood horses. The lateral trochlear ridge of the femur is most commonly affected. Stifle arthroscopy can be very challenging even in the hands of experienced arthroscopic surgeons.

Free floating osteochondral fragments/flaps of 3 cm to 4 cm long and 5 mm thick can be found in the FP joint of warm blood horses. They are covered with smooth cartilage with bone in the centre, their edges are often nicely rounded and they are not attached to the synovial membrane. Their size is mainly what makes them difficult to remove.

OCD fragments or osteochondral flaps can detach from the OCD bed and become free-floating bodies. These free floating osteochondral flaps will be nourished by synovial fluid and may become very large as they grow over time.

However, smaller fragments tend to be eventually captured by the synovial membrane and become embedded within the synovial membrane of the joint capsule. Such fragments can be difficult to locate and look like intra-articular fragments on radiograph. Although once embedded in the synovial membrane they are not as harmful as free floating fragments; owners want them removed to facilitate the sale of the horse later on.  [...]