[Scanning electron microscopic findings of the navicular bone and deep flexor tendon in podotrochlosis of horses].
In 25 adult horses the podotrochlea of 49 forelimbs was examined by means of light and electron microscopy in order to correlate clinical and morphological findings. According to the clinical diagnosis the animals were divided into three groups: lameness due to syndrome of podotrochlosis (group 1) or due to tendopathy (group 2) and horses without lameness (group 3). The most striking pathological findings of the navicular bone and the opposite surface of the deep flexor tendon were found in horses with podotrochlosis, consisting of loss of cartilage and tendon matrix with denudation of collagen fibrils, superficial degeneration and necrosis, focal occurrence of fissures and far-reaching defects, sometimes accompanied by adhesions between tendon and navicular bone surface. In radiologically only slightly altered tendons and navicular bones light and scanning electron microscopy often revealed moderate to severe pathological changes, which sometimes could also be seen in clinically healthy horses. The distribution of the lesions indicate that in course of podotrochlosis the initial alterations caused by repeated microtraumata start at the surface of the deep flexor tendon and subsequently spread to the opposite facies flexoria of the navicular bone. An involvement of the cartilage and the synovial layer of the hoof joint in cases with podotrochlosis could only be rarely observed and is to regard as a secondary manifestation.
Drommer
W
W
Institut für Pathologie, Tierärztlichen Hochschule Hannover.
Damsch
S
S
Winkelmeyer
S
S
Hertsch
B
B
Kaup
F J
FJ
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D006724:Hoof and Claw / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013710:Tendons / Q000648:ultrastructure*
Rasterelektronenmikroskopische Befunde an Strahlbein und tiefer Beugesehne bei der Podotrochlose des Pferdes.