Effect of intra-articular gentamicin sulfate on normal equine synovial membrane.

Gentamicin sulfate (3 ml; 50 mg/ml) was administered intra-articularly into 30 normal equine radiocarpal joints after arthrocentesis. Arthrocentesis alone was performed on 10 normal radiocarpal joints. Synovial fluid evaluations and gross and microscopic examinations were performed on synovial fluid and synovial membrane of designated joints at selected daily intervals over a period of 10 days. Synovial fluid from gentamicin-injected joints had greater turbidity, higher RBC and WBC counts, and higher refractive indices than did joints not injected with gentamicin. The largest increases developed on days 1 or 2 after gentamicin injection, with mean total WBC, large mononuclear cell, small mononuclear cell, and polymorphonuclear cell counts of 23,860, 11,853, 857, and 11,150 cells/microliter, respectively. Arthrocentesis alone resulted in smaller increases in these counts. Microscopic changes seen in the synovial membrane of gentamicin-injected joints included edema, leukocytic infiltration, and loss of synovial lining cells. These inflammatory changes resolved within 7 days after gentamicin injection.