ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To compare virucidal effects and bone incorporation properties of cortical bone allografts transplanted into specific-pathogen-free (SPF) cats. Allografts consisted of untreated bone from a SPF cat (negative-control group) and bone from 5 FeLV-infected cats that was subjected to sterilization with ethylene oxide (ETO), preservation with glycerol, or no treatment (positive-control group). SAMPLE POPULATION: Bones from the aforementioned groups and twenty 8-week-old SPF cats (5 cats/group) implanted with an allograft from 1 of the aforementioned groups. PROCEDURE: After implantation, blood samples were collected weekly to monitor FeLV p27 antigen and antibody titers. Quantification of FeLV provirus was performed on blood samples at weeks 0, 4, and 8 and donor bone samples at time of implantation. Cats were euthanatized 8 weeks after transplantation, and graft sites were evaluated. RESULTS: All results for negative-control cats were negative. All ETO group cats had negative results for antigen and provirus in blood, whereas 1 cat had a low antibody titer. Although 3 ETO-treated allografts were positive for provirus, the DNA appeared denatured. One cat in the glycerol group had positive results for all tests in blood samples. All glycerol-preserved allografts were positive when tested for provirus. All results for positive-control group cats were positive. Differences in incorporation of bone grafts were not observed. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Glycerol preservation of FeLV-infected bone allografts did not eliminate transmission of retrovirus to recipients. In contrast, ETO sterilization appeared to denature DNA and prevent infection. Treatments did not affect incorporation of bone grafts in young cats.
Subject(s)
Bone Transplantation/veterinary , Cats/surgery , Disinfectants/pharmacology , Ethylene Oxide/pharmacology , Leukemia Virus, Feline/drug effects , Sterilization/methods , Animals , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Antigens, Viral/blood , Bone Transplantation/methods , Bone Transplantation/standards , DNA, Viral/chemistry , DNA, Viral/isolation & purification , Disinfectants/chemistry , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/veterinary , Ethylene Oxide/chemistry , Fluorometry/veterinary , Glycerol/chemistry , Histocytochemistry , Leukemia Virus, Feline/genetics , Leukemia Virus, Feline/pathogenicity , Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary , Radiography , Random Allocation , Retroviridae Infections/prevention & control , Retroviridae Infections/transmission , Retroviridae Infections/veterinary , Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms , Transplantation, Homologous/veterinary , Tumor Virus Infections/prevention & control , Tumor Virus Infections/transmission , Tumor Virus Infections/veterinary , Ulna/diagnostic imaging , Ulna/surgeryABSTRACT
There are many acquired arthopathies that will result in some degree of osteoarthritis, even after proper management. Once the articular cartilage is damaged, it is unlikely that the architecture of the original cartilage surface will return to the normal conditions that existed prior to injury. The purpose of timely and meticulous management of traumatic joint events is to stop the progression of osteoarthritic development. When dealing with articular fractures or other forms of trauma to articular cartilage, three important principles to remember are anatomic reduction of the articular surfaces, stable fixation, and limited weight bearing on the affected limb as soon as possible after surgery. Even after strict adherence to these principles, the pet owner should always be warned that the animal will develop some degree of osteoarthritis in the affected joint at some future time; at that time, chronic medical management may be indicated.
