CHRONIC BICIPITAL TENOSYNOVITIS IN DOGS - 29 CASES (1985-1992)

Medical records of 23 dogs with unilateral and 3 dogs with bilateral c hronic bicipital tenosynovitis were reviewed. Mean age of affected dos s was 4.6 years (SD, 2.0 years), and mean body weight was 32.6 hg (SD, 14.5 kg). Neither a breed nov a gender predilection was detected. All dogs had a history oi intermittent or progressive weight-bearing lame ness that became worse after exercise. Mean duration of lameness prior to medical or surgical treatment was 6.5 months (range, 0.25 to 24 mo nths). In all dogs, signs of pain were evident during palpation of the biceps tendon within the intertubercular groove. Radiography revealed sclerosis or osteophytosis of the intertubercular groove in all 29 sh oulder joints. Mild degenerative joint disease was evident radiograhic ally in 17. Arthrography was performed in 12 joints, and in 11 there w ere irregularities of or filling defects along the biceps tendon. Arth rocentesis was performed on 17 joints; 14 synovial fluid samples had c ytologic abnormalities consistent with degenerative joint disease. Med ical treatment, consisting of injection of methyl-prednisolone acetate into the biceps tendon and its synovial sheath, was attempted in 21 o f the 29 affected shoulder joints. Surgery, which consisted of tenodes is of the biceps tendon, was attempted in 14 joints; 8 of these had no t been treated medically; the remaining 6 had poor results following m edical treatment. Gross and histologic findings consistent with chroni c bicipital tenosynovitis were observed in all 14 joints in which surg ery was performed. Seventeen of the medically treated shoulders were a vailable for clinical evaluation, and results were excellent or good i n 7. Twelve of the surgically treated shoulders were available for cli nical re-evaluation, and results were excellent or good in all 12 (mea n duration of follow-up, 5.7 months; range, 2 to 13 months). owners of all dogs were contacted by telephone. Owners reported that results we re excellent or good in 10 of the 21 medically treated shoulder joints , and in all 14 of the surgically treated shoulder joints (mean durati on of follow-up, 30.1 months; range, 4 to 82 months). Complications de veloped in 3 of the 4 dogs in which an osteotomy of the greater tuberc le had been performed (im plant migration, 2 dogs; delayed union, 1 do g). A seroma developed in 1 of the 10 dogs in which tenodesis was perf ormed by laterally transposing the biceps tendon through a hole in the greater tubercle. Complications related to medical treatment were not detected.