Subscribe to RSS
Download PDF
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1632701
A novel technique of taking tendon biopsies in the horse
A study on wound healing and the effect of exercise in immature superficial digital flexor tendonsThe authors would like to thank Mr M. Terlou for developing the computer program that was used to process the data obtained by the IBAS image analysis system.
Publication History
Received
05 December 2000
Accepted
10 June 2001
Publication Date:
09 February 2018 (online)
Summary
To evaluate a novel tendon biopsy technique for use in the horse and to assess the effect of different exercise levels on the healing process of minimally damaged superficial digital flexor tendons (SDFT), 24 Dutch Warmblood foals were randomly divided into 3 equally sized groups one week after birth. One group was box rested, one group got box rest with additional enforced exercise, and one group got free pasture exercise. Biopsies from the peripheral region of the SDFT were taken at age 2 months using a new micro-biopsy technique. At age 5 months the foals were euthanized and samples from the biopsy site and a control site were harvested. Collagen fibrillar index (CFI, the total amount of collagen as a percentage of the measured area), mass-average diameter (MAvD, mean of the diameter versus area distribution) and collagen fibrillar diameter frequency (the distribution of collagen fibril sizes expressed as a percentage of the number of collagen fibrils) were calculated. The CFI, MAvD values were significantly lower in the wound samples. It is concluded that the biopsy technique may be a useful tool for research applications. The absence of exercise-induced effects on the collagen fibril population in the wound samples suggests that the first phase of the process of tendon healing in immature equine SDFT’s sustaining a minor surgically-induced wound, is not exercise-dependent. However, findings may be different in mature horses sustaining accidental trauma.
A novel technique to take biopsies from immature equine flexor tendons was developed and used to evaluate the effect of various levels of exercise on the development of the collagen fibril diameter distribution in the resulting wounds. The technique appeared to be minimally invasive, but complication rate was deemed too high for clinical use. There was no effect of exercise on mass average diameter of collagen fibrils, suggesting that the repair process, at least in its initial stage, is exercise-independent.
3 Present address: Dr. C. K. Becker, Bogen- straBe 58, D-22869 Schenefeld, Germany
-
REFERENCES
- 1 Parry DAD. Craig AS, Barnes GRG. Tendon and ligament from the horse: an ultrastructural study of collagen fibrils and elastic fibres as a function of age. Proc R Soc Lond B 1978; 203: 293-302.
- 2 Scott JE. Proteoglycan: collagen interaction and subfibrillar structure in collagen fibrils. Implications in the development and aging of connective tissues. J Anat 1990; 169: 23-35.
- 3 Patterson-Kane JC, Wilson AM, Firth EC, Parry DAD, Goodship AE. Comparison of collagen fibril populations in the superficial digital flexor tendon of exercised and nonexercised Thoroughbreds. Equine Vet J 1997; 29: 121-5.
- 4 Oakes BW, Parker AW, Normann J. Changes in collagen fibre population in young rat cruciate ligaments in response to an intensive exercise program. In: Human adaptation. Russo P, Glass G. (eds). Department of Biological Science: Cumberland College of Health Science; 1989: 223-30.
- 5 Parry DAD, Craig AS. Collagen fibrils during development and their contribution to the mechanical attributes of connective tissue. In: Collagen Biochemistry and Biomechanics. Vol 2. Nimni ME. (ed). Boca Raton: CRC Press; 1988: 1-23.
- 6 Jones PN. On collagen fibril diameter distributions. Connect Tissue Res 1991; 26: 11-21.
- 7 Patterson-Kane JC, Firth EC, Parry DAD, Wilson AM, Goodship AE. Effects of training on collagen fibril populations in the suspensory ligament and deep digital flexor tendon of young thoroughbreds. Am J Vet Res 1998; 59: 64-8.
- 8 Patterson-Kane JC, Parry DAD, Birch HL, Goodship AE, Firth EC. An age-related study of morphology and cross-link composition of collagen fibrils in the digital flexor tendons of young thoroughbred horses. Connect Tissue Res 1997; b 36: 253-60.
- 9 Webbon PM. Preliminary study of tendon biopsy in the horse. Equine Vet J 1986; 18: 383-7.
- 10 Evans JH. Structural and mechanical properties of tendon related to function. Equine Vet J 1975; 07: 1-8.
- 11 Webbon PM. A post mortem study of equine digital flexor tendons. Equine Vet J 1977; 09: 61-7.
- 12 Stromberg B. The normal and diseased superficial digital flexor tendon in racehorses. A morphologic and physiologic investigation. Acta Radiol Suppl 1971; 305: 1-94.
- 13 McCullagh KG, Goodship AE, Silver IA. Tendon injuries and their repair. Vet Rec 1979; 105: 54-7.
- 14 Wilson AM, Goodship AE. Exercise-induced hyperthermia as a possible mechanism for tendon degeneration. J Biomech 1994; 27: 899-905.
- 15 Kraus-Hansen AE, Fackelman GE, Becker CK, Williams RM, Pipers FS. Preliminary studies on the vascular anatomy of the equine superficial flexor tendon. Equine Vet J 1992; 24: 46-51.
- 16 Webbon PM. Equine tendon stress injuries. Equine Vet J 1973; 05: 58-64.
- 17 Fackelman GE. The nature of tendon damage and its repair. Equine Vet J 1973; 07: 141-9.
- 18 Manske PR. Flexor tendon healing. Hand Surg 1988; 13B: 237-45.
- 19 Frank C, MacFarlane B, Edwards P, Rangayyan R, Liu ZQ. et al. A quantitative analysis of matrix alignment in ligament scars: a comparison of movement versus immobilization in an immature rabbit model. J Orth Res 1991; 09: 219-27.
- 20 Noyes FR, Torvik PJ, Hyde WD, DeLucas JL. Biomechanics of ligament failure II. An analysis of immobilization, exercise, and reconditioning effects in primates. J Bone Joint Surg 1977; 56A: 1406-18.
- 21 Gelberman RH, Manske PR, Vande JSBerg, Lesker PA, Akeson WH. Flexor tendon repair in vitro: a comparative histologic study of the rabbit, chicken, dog and monkey. J Orth Res 1982; 02: 39-48.
- 22 van Weeren PR, Barneveld A. Study design to evaluate the influence of exercise on the development of the musculoskeletal system of foals up to age 11 months. Equine Vet J Suppl 1999; 31: 4-8.
- 23 Weijers C, Berghout M. Indicatie van de beweging van veulens in de wei. Students’ thesis Hogeschool Delft, The Netherlands. 1997
- 24 Reynold ES. The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron opaque stain in electronmicroscopy. J Cell Biol 1963; 17: 208-12.
- 25 Flint MH, Craig AS, Reilly HC, Gillard GC, Parry DAD. Collagen fibril diameters and glycosaminoglycan content of skins – indices of tissue maturity and function. Connect Tissue Res 1984; 13: 69-81.
- 26 Enwemeka CS, Maxwell LC, Fernandes G. Ultrastructural morphometry of matrical changes induced by exercise and food restriction in rat calcaneal tendon. Tissue Cell 1992; 24: 499-510.
- 27 Dow SM, Leendertz JA, Silver IA, Goodship AE. Identification of subclinical tendon injury from ground reaction force analysis. Equine Vet J 1991; 23: 266-72.
- 28 Watkins JP, Auer JA, Morgan SJ, Gray S. Healing of surgically created defects in the equine superficial digital flexor tendon: Effects of pulsing electromagnetic field therapy on collagen-type transformation and tissue morphologic reorganization. Am J Vet Res 1985; 46: 2097-103.
- 29 Bear E, Cassidy JJ, Hiltner A. Hierarchical structure of collagen and its relationship to the physical properties of tendon. In: Collagen Biochemistry and Biomechanics. Vol 2. Nimni ME. (ed) Boca Raton, CRC Press; 1988: 177-221.
- 30 Chang J, Thunder R, Most D, Longaker MT, Lineaweaver WC. Studies in flexor tendon wound healing: neutralizing antibody to TGF-beta 1 increases postoperative range of motion. Plast Reconstr Surg 2000; 105: 148-55.
- 31 Robotti E, Zimbler AG, Kenna D, Grossman JAI. The effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields on tendon healing in chickens. J Hand Surg 1999; 24B: 56-8.