Johnson J M, Johnson A L, Pijanowski G J, Kneller S K, Schaeffer D J, Eurell J A, Smith C W, Swan K S
Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, USA.
Am J Vet Res. 1997 Dec;58(12):1473-8.
To determine effect of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) on rate and degree of return to function of the limb and development of degenerative joint disease (DJD) after surgical creation and subsequent stabilization of the cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL)-deficient stifle.
12 clinically normal adult large (19.5 to 31.5 kg) dogs.
Dogs were anesthetized, and the right CrCL was severed via arthrotomy, destabilizing the stifle. After 3 weeks, the stifle was surgically stabilized. Three weeks later, 6 dogs were subjected to an EMS treatment protocol for the thigh muscles. At 5, 9, 13, and 19 weeks after stifle destabilization, treated (n = 6) and control (n = 6) dogs were evaluated for return of stifle function. Gross and histologic evaluations of the stifles were performed at 19 weeks after stifle destabilization.
Treated dogs had significantly (P = 0.001) better lameness score than did control dogs. There was less palpable crepitation of the stifle in treated dogs (P = 0.06); treated dogs also had significantly (P = 0.01) fewer radiographic signs of bone changes. Thigh circumference was significantly (P = 0.02) larger in treated dogs. There was less gross cartilage damage (P = 0.07) in the EMS-treated dogs, but more medial meniscal damage (P = 0.058, cranial pole; P = 0.051, caudal pole).
Improved lameness scores, larger thigh circumference, and decreased radiographically apparent bony changes observed for the treated group of dogs support the hypothesis that dogs treated by EMS after surgical stabilization of the CrCL-deficient stifle had improved limb function, with less DJD, than did dogs treated with the currently accepted clinical protocol of cage rest and slow return to normal activity. However, results of force plate evaluation did not support the hypothesis. Increased meniscal damage in dogs treated by EMS may be cause for concern.
确定电刺激肌肉（EMS）对颅交叉韧带（CrCL）缺失的 stifle 关节手术后肢体功能恢复的速度和程度以及退行性关节病（DJD）发展的影响。
12只临床健康的成年大型犬（体重19.5至31.5千克）。
对犬只进行麻醉，通过关节切开术切断右侧CrCL，使stifle关节不稳定。3周后，通过手术使stifle关节稳定。3周后，6只犬接受大腿肌肉的EMS治疗方案。在stifle关节不稳定后的第5、9、13和19周，对接受治疗的犬（n = 6）和对照犬（n = 6）进行stifle关节功能恢复评估。在stifle关节不稳定后的第19周，对stifle关节进行大体和组织学评估。
接受治疗的犬跛行评分明显优于对照犬（P = 0.001）。接受治疗的犬stifle关节可触及的摩擦音较少（P = 0.06）；接受治疗的犬骨变化的放射学征象也明显较少（P = 0.01）。接受治疗的犬大腿周长明显更大（P = 0.02）。接受EMS治疗的犬大体软骨损伤较少（P = 0.07），但内侧半月板损伤较多（颅极，P = 0.058；尾极，P = 0.051）。
接受治疗的犬组跛行评分改善、大腿周长增大以及放射学上明显的骨变化减少，支持了这样的假设，即与采用目前公认的笼养休息和缓慢恢复正常活动的临床方案治疗的犬相比，CrCL缺失的stifle关节手术稳定后接受EMS治疗的犬肢体功能改善，DJD较少。然而，测力板评估结果不支持该假设。接受EMS治疗的犬半月板损伤增加可能令人担忧。
