Abstract
Recent research on chronic painful Achilles tendons in humans using ultrasonography and immunohistochemistry, has demonstrated an association between neurovascular ingrowth and tendon pain. In horses, chronic debilitating tendon conditions are well-known to be very difficult to treat, and the background to impaired function and pain is not scientifically clarified. In a collaborative research project between the Sports Medicine Unit in Umeå and Strömsholm Equine Hospital, grey-scale ultrasonography (US) and colour Doppler (CD) examination were performed in ten horses with chronic tendon injuries (>3 months) and a control group of six healthy and asymptomatic horses. In all symptomatic tendons, but not in any of the tendons in the control group, neovessels were seen in the area with structural tendon changes. The neovessels found in the horse tendons looked similar to what has recently been presented in human Achilles tendons. These findings motivate evaluation of the same treatment, a sclerosing injection that was demonstrated recently to give promising results in the treatment of chronic Achilles tendon injuries (tendinosis) in humans.
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Plegicil, Pharmacia Animal Health, Helsingborg, Sweden
Domosedan, Orion Pharma AB, Sollentuna, Sweden
Torbugesic, Fort Dodge Animal Health, Iowa, USA
Sonoline Antares Ultrasound Imaging System with VFX 13-5 Multi-D Ultrasound Transducer, Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., Ultrasound Division, Washington, USA
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Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge Gunilla Jöhncke from St Görans Hospital in Stockholm for her help, and Siemens Medical Solutions (Sweden), especially Eva Riedel-Östlund for help and technical support during the initial stages of the study.
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Kristoffersen, M., Öhberg, L., Johnston, C. et al. Neovascularisation in chronic tendon injuries detected with colour Doppler ultrasound in horse and man: implications for research and treatment. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 13, 505–508 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-005-0648-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-005-0648-3