Treatment of infectious arthritis of the radiocarpal joint of cattle with gentamicin-impregnated collagen sponges

Gentamicin-impregnated collagen sponges were used successfully in the treatment of chronic septic arthritis of the radiocarpal joint in two cattle. Both animals were moderately to severely lame and refractory to systemic antibiotics, and one of them was refractory to joint lavage and local antibiotics. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by radiography and arthrocentesis. Arthroscopy was performed under general anaesthesia and, after debridement and lavage of the joint, gentamicin-impregnated collagen sponges were placed intra-articularly. Synovial fluid was sampled at 10 and 20 days after surgery and radiographs were taken three months (case 1) and two months (case 2) after surgery. The infection was eliminated from both animals and they recovered without residual lameness.