Ultrasonography of Suspensory Ligament in the horse after perineurial anesthesia

Proximal suspensory ligament (PSL) disease frequent causes lameness. The diagnosis is made using clinical and lameness exam, diagnostic analgesia and imaging. Ultrasonographic (US) exam is particularly challenging in this region, however PSL scanning after diagnostic analgesia could potentially lead artifacts or false positive findings. Zekas and Forrest in 2003 described changes in US findings immediately and 24 hours after a subcarpal high palmar and palmar metacarpal nerve block and a low palmar and palmar metacarpal nerve block were performed. In clinical settings many veterinarians perform the block by injecting the anesthetic solution more diffusely in and around the origin of the suspensory ligament. Aim is to describe US changes in PSL after injection of the palmar metacarpal nerves and in and around the origin of the ligament at 24 hours post-injection.