Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
Am J Vet Res. 2023 Feb 21;84(4). doi: 10.2460/ajvr.22.12.0214. Print 2023 Apr 1.
Limb lymphedema in horses can be debilitating and painful. Pneumatic compression therapy has shown significant benefits for people suffering from lymphedema. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a novel, equine-specific pneumatic compression device on the lymphatic flow of healthy horse forelimbs as determined by Tc-99m sulfur colloid lymphoscintigraphy.
6 healthy Thoroughbreds.
In a randomized crossover design, horses underwent bilateral forelimb lymphoscintigraphy following subcutaneous injection of Tc-99m sulfur colloid at the coronary band as untreated control or with pneumatic compression therapy using the EQ Press. Lateral, static images were obtained of the distal limb (time 0 to 60 minutes) and proximal limb (time 30 to 60 minutes) using a standard gamma camera. Lymphatic flow was determined by assigning a score to the time point at which Tc-99m sulfur colloid was first visualized at the level of the accessory carpal bone (1 to 7) in the distal limb and the cubital lymph node (1 to 4) in the proximal limb.
EQ Press treatment led to a significantly faster lymphatic flow of Tc-99m sulfur colloid to the predetermined anatomic locations of the accessory carpal bone (P = .002) in the distal limb and the cubital lymph node (P = .001) in the proximal limb.
Pneumatic compression therapy as provided by an equine-specific device encouraged lymphatic flow in healthy, nonedematous equine forelimbs. These data support further study of the EQ Press for pneumatic compression therapy in horses clinically affected by lymphedema and lymphatic drainage disorders.
马的肢体淋巴水肿可能导致衰弱和疼痛。气动压缩疗法已被证明对患有淋巴水肿的人有显著益处。本研究的目的是通过 Tc-99m 硫胶体淋巴闪烁显像术确定一种新型马专用气动压缩装置对健康马前肢淋巴流量的影响。
6 匹健康的纯血马。
在随机交叉设计中，马在前肢接受 Tc-99m 硫胶体皮下注射后进行双侧前肢淋巴闪烁显像术，作为未治疗对照或使用 EQ Press 进行气动压缩治疗。使用标准伽马相机获得远端肢体（0 至 60 分钟）和近端肢体（30 至 60 分钟）的横向静态图像。通过在远端肢体的副腕骨（1 至 7）和近端肢体的肘淋巴结（1 至 4）水平首次观察到 Tc-99m 硫胶体的时间点给淋巴流量分配一个分数来确定。
EQ Press 治疗导致 Tc-99m 硫胶体向预定的副腕骨（远端肢体，P =.002）和肘淋巴结（近端肢体，P =.001）的解剖位置的淋巴流动明显加快。
由马专用设备提供的气动压缩疗法鼓励健康、非水肿的马前肢的淋巴流动。这些数据支持进一步研究 EQ Press 在临床上受淋巴水肿和淋巴引流障碍影响的马中进行气动压缩治疗。
