Objective: To evaluate the frequency of communication between the lateral and medial femorotibial joints and the femoropatellar joint in cattle.
Design: 1 of 3 injection sites was randomly assigned to each ox.
Animals: 102 limbs were obtained from 55 fresh bovine cadavers presented for necropsy with problems unrelated to the stifle.
Procedure: The joints were injected with a mixture of latex and barium sulfate. Communication between 2 or more joints was determined by the presence of latex and contrast material in a joint adjacent to the injected joint by examining frozen sections and positive-contrast arthrography.
Results: Communication between the 3 joints was present in 58 (56.9%) limbs. The femoropatellar and the medial femorotibial joints always communicated. Thirteen of 38 (34.2%) specimens injected in the lateral femorotibial joint did not communicate with the 2 other joints. The femoropatellar joint communicated with the lateral and medial femorotibial joints on the distal abaxial aspect of the trochlear ridge.
Conclusion: Individual anatomic variation of the stifle in cattle should be considered when diagnostic or treatment protocols are established.
Clinical relevance: The lateral femorotibial joint should be treated separately because it does not consistently communicate with the femoropatellar or medial femorotibial joint.