Arthroscopic findings in 100 dogs with elbow lameness

Abstract

Elbow arthroscopy was performed in 100 dogs with foreleg lameness localised to the elbow joint, bilaterally in 48 of them, making a total of 148 joints examined. Lesions in the area of the medial coronoid process varied from cartilage fissures in 13 to fragmentation in 91, chondromalacia-like lesions in 27. This last lesion has not been reported previously in the veterinary literature. Kissing lesions on the medial side of the humeral condyle were present in 83 joints, whereas lesions of osteochondritis dissecans were found in only three. All these lesions were associated with varying signs of synovitis and arthrosis. Arthroscopic signs of arthrosis and/or synovitis without associated medical coronoid lesions were found in 14 elbow joints.