title: Cartilage thickness and split-line pattern at the canine humeral trochlea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterise the humeral trochlea in middle to large breed dogs in respect to split-line pattern and cartilage thickness.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 15 paired cadaveric elbow joints of mature dogs (>20 kg body weight) collagen network orientation of the hyaline cartilage of the humeral trochlea was visualised using a traditional split-line technique in which a dissecting needle dipped in India ink was inserted into the cartilage (n = 10). Cartilage thickness was measured radiographically on osteochondral plugs harvested at four representative locations within the joint surface of the humeral trochlea (n = 15).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The joint surface of the humeral trochlea showed a distinct pattern of centripetally oriented split-lines with less pronounced or even absent split-lines caudo- proximally towards the olecranon fossa. Median cartilage thickness at the canine humeral trochlea was 0.51 mm (interquartile range: 0.42 - 0.61 mm). Centrally, at the region where osteochondrosis lesions commonly occur in middle to large breed dogs, the median cartilage thickness was 0.55 mm (interquartile range: 0.48 - 0.62 mm).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When focusing on anatomical joint resurfacing while performing osteochondral transplantation at the canine humeral trochlea, transplants should be implanted such that their split-lines are oriented centripetally. Hyaline cartilage thickness of transferred grafts should be in the range of half a millimetre to optimally match the situation at the canine humeral trochlea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine, Universität Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 23, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. boettcher@kleintierklinik.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeissler
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maierl
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grevel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oechtering
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Böttcher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002102:Cadaver; D002356:Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005065:Euthanasia; D005552:Forelimb; D006811:Humerus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D010007:Osteochondritis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D011859:Radiography