Freire M., Meuten D., & Lascelles D. (2014). Pathology of articular cartilage and synovial membrane from elbow joints with and without degenerative joint disease in domestic cats. Veterinary pathology, 51(5), 968-978.

Racelis, Jan Paolo Z.3 BIO 2

ABSTRACT

Appendicular degenerative joint disease (DJD)

• also called arthritis • a condition commonly present in domestic cats • marked by degeneration of the articular cartilage, hypertrophy of bone at the margins, and changes in the synovial membrane

• most likely to strike the joints that receive the most use or stress over the years• include the knees, the joints of the big toes, and those of the lower

part of the spine

METHODOLOGY1. a section of articular surfaces of the proximal ulna and

radius & distal humerus was placed in 10% neutral buffered formalin (48 hours)

2. decalcification of specimens using 10% formic acid3. sections perpendicular to the articular surfaces were cut

with the most severe macroscopic cartilage fibrillation 4. Two serial sections of the specimens were stained with

hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Safranin-O (SO) 5. Sections of joint capsule/synovium were stained with HE. 6. Osteochondral fragments found within the joint or

attached to the joint capsule were stained in the same manner as the other specimens

RESULTS

RESULTS

CONCLUSIONCartilage damage ranged from superficial fibrillation to complete ulceration, and in the most severe cases, subchondral bone lesions such as cartilage islands and fibrovascular granulation tissue filling bone marrow spaces were identified. The degree of inflamma- tion of the synovium was mild, even in cases with hyaline car- tilage ulceration, and correlation with the degree of cartilage erosion was weak to moderate. Intra-articular osteochondral fragments found within the elbow joint were most consistent with synovial osteochondromatosis secondary to DJD. This is a common degenerative disease of the elbow joint in cats that has been overlooked, and the etiology is unknown.