Accuracy and safety of stifle arthrocentesis and injection based on two established and two new landmarks: Ex vivo study in dogs
🔍 Key Findings
- All four arthrocentesis techniques achieved 100% intra-articular accuracy, confirming that each landmark-guided method could successfully access the canine stifle joint.
- Lateral intercondylar notch (LINC) was the most commonly used technique clinically, reported by 87.5% (35/40) of surveyed surgeons.
- INFRA and SUPRA required significantly more needle repositions (median 3 and 2) compared with LINC and POUCH (median 1) (p = .001).
- No iatrogenic articular cartilage injury (IACI) occurred with LINC or SUPRA techniques, suggesting favorable safety profiles.
- INFRA produced the highest IACI rate (75%), with 6/8 limbs affected, indicating substantial risk with this approach.
- More than half of INFRA injuries exceeded 10 mm² and involved weight-bearing cartilage, raising concern for clinically significant joint damage.
- POUCH technique caused IACI in 37.5% of cases, but injuries occurred exclusively on non-weight-bearing cartilage.
- SUPRA (suprapatellar) approach demonstrated accuracy with zero cartilage injury, making it a promising safer alternative for stifle arthrocentesis pending clinical validation.
Simini Surgery Review Podcast
🔍 Key Findings
- All four arthrocentesis techniques achieved 100% intra-articular accuracy, confirming that each landmark-guided method could successfully access the canine stifle joint.
- Lateral intercondylar notch (LINC) was the most commonly used technique clinically, reported by 87.5% (35/40) of surveyed surgeons.
- INFRA and SUPRA required significantly more needle repositions (median 3 and 2) compared with LINC and POUCH (median 1) (p = .001).
- No iatrogenic articular cartilage injury (IACI) occurred with LINC or SUPRA techniques, suggesting favorable safety profiles.
- INFRA produced the highest IACI rate (75%), with 6/8 limbs affected, indicating substantial risk with this approach.
- More than half of INFRA injuries exceeded 10 mm² and involved weight-bearing cartilage, raising concern for clinically significant joint damage.
- POUCH technique caused IACI in 37.5% of cases, but injuries occurred exclusively on non-weight-bearing cartilage.
- SUPRA (suprapatellar) approach demonstrated accuracy with zero cartilage injury, making it a promising safer alternative for stifle arthrocentesis pending clinical validation.
Simini Surgery Review Podcast
Know What Matters in the Literature - and Why
We distill peer-reviewed surgical studies into clinically relevant summaries and
exam-style questions, so you can make informed decisions with confidence.
Free Access. No Spam. Just Smarter Surgical Learning
Multiple Choice Questions on this study
Access the full library of surgical summaries and exam-style questions.
Educational content developed independently and supported by Simini.
The maker of Simini Protect Lavage.