Epidural morphine and detomidine decreases postoperative hindlimb lameness in horses after bilateral stifle arthroscopy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether preoperative epidural administration of morphine and detomidine would decrease postoperative lameness after bilateral stifle arthroscopy in horses.


METHODS
Prospective clinical controlled study.


METHODS
Eight adult horses that had bilateral arthroscopic procedures, including drilling of cartilage and subchondral bone within the femoropatellar joints.


METHODS
Horses were randomly separated into 2 groups. Preoperatively, 4 horses were administered a combination of epidural morphine (0.2 mg/kg) and detomidine (30 microg/kg), and 4 horses were administered an equivalent volume of epidural saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Postoperative pain was assessed using 6 video recordings made at hourly intervals of each horse at a walk. Assessments began 1 hour after recovery from anesthesia. The recordings were scrambled out of sequence and evaluated by 3 observers, unaware of treatment groups, who scored lameness from 0 to 4. Lameness scores of the 2 groups of horses were compared using a Wilcoxon's rank sum test. Heart and respiratory rates were also measured at each hourly interval and compared between groups using a repeated-measures ANOVA; statistical significance was set at P <.05.


RESULTS
Preoperative administration of epidural morphine and detomidine significantly decreased lameness and heart rates after bilateral stifle arthroscopy. The greatest decrease was detected at hours 1 and 2 after recovery from anesthesia.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that horses undergoing a painful arthroscopic procedure of the stifle joint benefit from the administration of preoperative epidural morphine and detomidine.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative epidural administration of detomidine and morphine may be useful in decreasing postoperative pain after stifle arthroscopy as well as pain associated with other painful disorders involving the stifle joint, such as septic arthritis and trauma.
Goodrich
Laurie R
LR
Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Nixon
Alan J
AJ
Fubini
Susan L
SL
Ducharme
Norm G
NG
Fortier
Lisa A
LA
Warnick
Lorin D
LD
Ludders
John W
JW
D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D006736:Horses / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000517:prevention & control; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000662:veterinary; D013264:Stifle / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*
D000700:Analgesics; D007093:Imidazoles; D009020:Morphine; C041255:detomidine