Open drainage, intra-articular and systemic antibiotics in the treatment of septic arthritis/tenosynovitis in horses

• Published in: Equine veterinary journal Vol. 24; no. 6; p. 443
• Main Authors: Schneider, R K, Bramlage, L R, Mecklenburg, L M, Moore, R M, Gabel, A A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.1992
• Subjects: Amikacin - administration & dosage; Amikacin - therapeutic use; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis, Infectious - drug therapy; Arthritis, Infectious - surgery; Arthritis, Infectious - veterinary; Bandages - veterinary; Cefazolin - administration & dosage; Cefazolin - therapeutic use; Debridement - veterinary; Drainage - veterinary; Follow-Up Studies; Gentamicins - administration & dosage; Gentamicins - therapeutic use; Horse Diseases - drug therapy; Horse Diseases - surgery; Horses; Injections, Intra-Articular - veterinary; Injections, Intravenous - veterinary; Penicillins - administration & dosage; Penicillins - therapeutic use; Postoperative Care - veterinary; Retrospective Studies; Tenosynovitis - drug therapy; Tenosynovitis - surgery; Tenosynovitis - veterinary; Therapeutic Irrigation - veterinary; Treatment Outcome; Wound Healing
• ISSN: 0425-1644; 2042-3306
• DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1992.tb02874.x

Open drainage was used to treat 26 horses with persistent or severe septic arthritis/tenosynovitis. Infected synovial structures were drained through a small (3 cm) arthrotomy incision that was left open and protected by a sterile bandage. Joint lavage was performed in all 26 horses. In addition to systemic antibiotics, 23 of these horses were also treated with intra-articular antibiotics; amikacin (17 horses), gentamycin (2 horses), cefazolin (2 horses), and 2 horses were injected at different times with gentamycin and amikacin. The infection was eliminated from the involved synovial structures in 25 of 26 horses; 24 survived and were released from the hospital. The arthrotomy incisions healed by granulation in 16 horses; in 9 horses the arthrotomy incision was sutured closed once the infection was eliminated. Seventeen horses returned to soundness and resumed athletic function. Open drainage was an effective method of achieving chronic drainage from a joint or tendon sheath. It is indicated in horses that have established intra-synovial infections or in horses that do not respond to joint lavage through needles.