Department of Basic Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Groennegaardsvej 7, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
Equine Vet J. 2010 Jan;42(1):18-22. doi: 10.2746/042516409X454565.
Arthrosis of the articular process joints (APJs) in the caudal thoracolumbar region of horses may cause back pain and subsequent reduced performance or lameness. Ultrasound-guided injections of the APJs of the equine back have been described only briefly in the literature.
To evaluate factors affecting the accuracy of intra-articular injections of the APJs in the caudal thoracolumbar region.
One-hundred-and-fifty-four injections with blue dye were performed on APJs including the T14-L6 region in 12 horses subjected to euthanasia for reasons unrelated to back problems. The backs were subsequently dissected to verify the location of the injectate in relation to the APJs.
Twenty-seven percent of the injections were found to be intra-articular and a total of 77% found to be within 2 mm of the joint capsule including the intra-articular deposits. Application of a medial approach and 18 gauge needle were significantly associated with an intra-articular injection or deposition close to the joint capsule. Operator, APJ (location) and back number (chronological) did not significantly affect the accuracy of injection.
Injection of the vertebral APJ in the thoracolumbar region using ultrasound guidance is a reliable method, as most of the injections were either in or within 2 mm of the joint. Based on the findings of this cadaver study, the medial approach is expected to be the most accurate in live horses. Further investigations are required to evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of this method in clinical practice.
马的尾部胸腰椎关节突关节（APJ）的关节炎可能会引起背痛，并随后导致运动性能下降或跛行。在文献中仅简要描述了超声引导下的马的 APJ 关节内注射。
评估影响尾部胸腰椎关节突关节（APJ）关节内注射准确性的因素。
对 12 匹因与背部问题无关而被安乐死的马的 T14-L6 区域的 APJ 进行了 154 次蓝色染料注射。随后对背部进行解剖，以验证注射部位与 APJ 的关系。
27%的注射被认为是关节内注射，总共有 77%的注射位于关节囊内或距关节囊 2mm 以内，包括关节内沉积。内侧入路和 18 号针的应用与关节囊附近的关节内注射或沉积显著相关。操作人员、APJ（位置）和背部编号（时间顺序）对注射的准确性没有显著影响。
使用超声引导对胸腰椎区域的脊椎 APJ 进行注射是一种可靠的方法，因为大多数注射要么在关节内，要么在距关节 2mm 以内。基于这项尸体研究的结果，预计内侧入路在活马中最准确。需要进一步研究以评估该方法在临床实践中的诊断和治疗潜力。
