Percutaneous ultrasonic debridement of equine tendinopathy and desmopathy: A report of 10 cases

Abstract

Background: Tendinopathy and desmopathy are significant causes of morbidity in horses.

Aim: To evaluate the use of percutaneous ultrasonic debridement (PUD) as a treatment for chronic tendinopathy and
desmopathy in the horse.

Methods: Eight adult horses with 10 affected limbs presented for lameness, ranging from 60–700 days postinjury.
Diagnostic ultrasound identified the following: suspensory branch desmitis (n = 1), suspensory body desmitis (n = 2),
Achilles tendinopathy (n = 1), desmitis of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor (DDF) tendon (n = 1), DDF
tendinopathy (n = 2), and superficial digital flexor tendinopathy (n = 3). All horses had demonstrated lameness ranging
from grade 1 to 4 [American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) scale], with a mean pretreatment grade of
2.7. All horses underwent PUD using the Tenex Health TX® System.

Results: Follow-up results were available from 6 to 41 months (mean, 23.2 months). Follow-up ultrasound imaging demonstrated improvement in fiber alignment and architectural change in all cases. All horses had a reduction in lameness from the treated tendon or ligament (AAEP grade 0–1; mean AAEP grade, 0.2) following a single treatment; lameness completely resolved in 8 of 10 treated limbs. No adverse events occurred in any case. No horses in this study developed a recurrence of their original lesion.

Conclusion: Horses in this study demonstrated improvement following  the PUD procedure. The procedure was well-tolerated and safe. Removal of tendinopathic scar tissue with PUD resulted  in a return to function and without recurrence of the original lesion in all horses.