Normal ultrasonographic anatomy and injury of the patellar ligaments in the horse

The purposes of this study were to investigate the ultrasonographic appearance of the patellar ligaments in clinically normal horses and to describe the clincical features, diagnosis and outcome of patellar ligament injury. The medial, middle and lateral patellar ligaments of 5 Thoroughbred and 5 Warmblood horses, free from lameness and in full work, were examined ultrasonographically. The ligaments were all of uniform echogenicity and each ligament was fairly consistent in its shape. The size of the ligaments of the Warmblood horses tended to be bigger than the lighter bodyweight Thoroughbred horses. The bone surfaces were smooth at the ligament insertions on the patella and tibia. Nine horses, including 7 showjumpers, were identified with a unilateral hindlimb lameness associated with ultrasonographic evidence of damage to one or more patellar ligaments. Four horses had primary desmitis of the middle patellar ligament, one of which had concurrent intermittent upward fixation of the patella and a second had abnormal movement of the patella. Two additional horses had desmitis of the middle patellar ligament associated with previous medial patellar desmotomy. Two horses had desmitis of both the middle and lateral patellar ligaments, and one horse had desmitis of the lateral patellar ligament alone. None of the 9 horses were able to return consistently to their former level of competition. Careful clinical evaluation and ultrasonographic examination of the patellar ligaments should be considered in horses with hindlimb lameness of otherwise undetermined cause.