title: Comparison of healing in forelimb and hindlimb surgically induced core lesions of the equine superficial digital flexor tendon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Even though equine multi-limb tendinopathy models have been reported, it is unknown if fore- and hindlimb tendon healing behave similarly. The aim of this study was to compare the healing process of surgically induced superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) core lesions of fore- and hindlimbs in horses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tendon core lesions were surgically induced in the SDFT of both fore- and hindlimbs in eight horses. One randomly assigned forelimb and one randomly assigned hindlimb were injected with saline one and two weeks post-surgery. The healing process was monitored clinically and ultrasonographically. After 24 weeks, the tendons were harvested and biochemical, biomechanical and histological parameters were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four weeks post-surgery, the forelimb SDFT lesions had a significantly higher colour Doppler ultrasound vascularization score (p = 0.02) and glycosaminoglycan concentration (p = 0.04) and a significantly lower hydroxylysylpyridinoline content (p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that fore- and hindlimb SDFT surgically induced lesions exhibit significant differences in several important parameters of tendon healing 24 weeks post-surgery. These differences create significant challenges in using all four limbs and accurately interpreting the results that one might generate. Therefore these findings do not support the use of four-limb models for study of tendon injury until the reasons for these differences are much better understood.
authors: Roberto Estrada, DVM, Equine Clinic, Free Universtiy of Berlin, Oertzenweg 19b, 14163 Berlin, Germany, Phone: +49 30 838 622 99, Fax: +49 30 838 625 29, E-mail: restrada@zedat.fu-berlin.de.
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Estrada
authors: P R
authors: PR
authors: van Weeren
authors: C H A
authors: CH
authors: van de Lest
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Boere
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Reyes
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Ionita
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Estrada
authors: C J
authors: CJ
authors: Lischer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005552:Forelimb / Q000293:injuries*; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000293:injuries*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D006736:Horses / Q000293:injuries*; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000662:veterinary*; D013710:Tendons / Q000473:pathology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Horse; healing; model; superficial digital flexor tendon; tendinopathy