title: Radiological appearance of air introduced during equine regional limb anaesthesia.
abstract: Twelve horses were injected intra-articularly into the metacarpophalangeal joint and extra-articularly in the region of the lateral palmar digital nerve with 1 ml air and local anaesthetic to simulate gas accidentally introduced during regional anaesthesia. Half the horses underwent limited exercise after which all horses were radiographed at 15 and 45 min and then every 24 h until all evidence of gas had disappeared. Intra-articular gas appeared as gas capped radiolucencies (GCR) in the proximal aspect of the joint. Extra-articular gas appeared as linear radiolucencies (LR) which initially tended to migrate proximally. There was no significant difference in gas resorption in exercised and nonexercised horses. All gas was resorbed within 96 h with most of the gas already gone at 48 h.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kirberger
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Gottschalk
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Guthrie
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D005121:Extremities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006736:Horses; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008662:Metacarpophalangeal Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography / Q000662:veterinary; D013997:Time Factors