Researchers Study Carpal Sheath Effusion Exam Techniques

Ultrasound is a useful method for diagnosing carpal sheath effusion, which is often associated with soft tissue damage.
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A recent study led by a faculty researcher from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) suggests that veterinarians can alter how they evaluate horses with a particular joint condition in order to accurately determine and treat the underlying cause.

Although it’s not a common malady, some horses will experience swelling behind the carpus—often referred to as the “knee” joint of the equine forelimb but more akin to the human wrist. This condition, called carpal sheath effusion, can be problematic for active horses because it usually points to underlying bone, tendon, or ligament damage that hinders movement and performance.

Diagnosing the cause of carpal sheath effusion and predicting how well it will heal are notoriously frustrating endeavors for veterinarians. While the bulk of published research points toward bone injuries as the root of the problem, clinical observations seem to point in a different direction, say Ronald Genovese, VMD, an equine veterinary practitioner for more than 50 years, and Joan Jorgensen, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, a boarded equine internal medicine veterinarian and associate professor of comparative biosciences at the SVM.

“Our overall impression from treating cases was that carpal sheath effusion was most commonly caused by injuries to soft tissue—tendons and ligaments, not bone—and that the injuries extended the full length of the forelimb, not just at or below the carpus,” says Jorgensen. “But no prior study has really explored the incidence of the different injuries that are suspected to cause or be associated with carpal sheath effusion

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