Evaluation of combination of anti-arthritic drug and therapeutic ultrasound in acute traumatic arthritis in equines

Acute aseptic arthritis was induced in 8 healthy donkeys aged 2-4 years and weighing 80-110 kg. The animals were divided into 2 groups (A and B) of 4 animals each.

Acute aseptic arthritis was induced in 8 healthy donkeys aged 2-4 years and weighing 80-110 kg. The animals were divided into 2 groups (A and B) of 4 animals each. Group A served as control, whereas in group B, pulsed ultrasound therapy 1 W/cm was applied daily for 10 minfrom day 2 to 8 after the induction of arthritis along with antiarthritic drug 20 g daily orally from day 2 to day 26 post-induction. The gross changes in synovial membrane and articular cartilage were milder in treated animals as compared to controls. Microscopically, the synovial membrane of control animals showed hypertrophy and hyperplasia of epithelial cell layer. The subintimal layer showed chronic inflammatory reaction with fibrotic changes. The synovial membrane of treated animals showed near normal epithelial lining with more blood capillaries. The AB-PAS reaction of synovial membrane of group A showed increase in acid mucopolysaccharides and decrease in neutral mucopolysaccharides in the intimal layer, and near normal reaction in subintimal layer, whereas the synovial membrane of group B animals was moderately positive for neutral mucopolysaccharides and weakly positive for acid mucopolysaccharides. Degeneration of articular cartilage was observed microscopically in control animals. The articular cartilage of treated animals had mild changes in the superficial layer, which was somewhat rough and eroded. The lacunae were normal with chondrocytes.

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