| Abstract |
Here is a structured, standard academic abstract based on your research data, tailored for a peer-reviewed veterinary journal:AbstractObjective: To evaluate and compare the therapeutic efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) versus Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO 10%) in treating surgically induced superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) core lesions in donkeys (Equus Asinus), while establishing the correlation between non-invasive ultrasonographic monitoring and histopathological outcomes.Animals: Thirty-one clinically normal adult donkeys ($5.9 pm 0.38$ years; $135.45 pm 2.2$ kg) of both sexes.Procedures: A core lesion was surgically induced at the mid-metacarpal region of the SDFT in all animals. Donkeys were divided into three groups for intralesional treatment at days 5, 15, and 30 post-induction: Group I ($n=7$, control/placebo), Group II ($n=12$, freshly prepared PRP), and Group III ($n=12$, DMSO 10%). Clinical, qualitative and quantitative ultrasonographic, gross pathological, and histopathological evaluations were performed at days 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 90. Quantitative ultrasound analysis was supplemented with grayscale histogram measurement.Results: Both PRP and DMSO groups demonstrated significant ($p leq 0.05$) clinical improvement, with local heat, pain, and lameness resolving completely by days 60 to 90. However, the mid-metacarpal circumference was significantly lower ($p leq 0.05$) in the PRP group at days 45, 60, and 90 compared to the DMSO group. Ultrasonographically, the PRP group showed superior lesion reduction; by day 90, the core lesion cross-sectional area (CSA) decreased to $7.53%$ of the total tendon CSA in the PRP group, compared to $28.13%$ in the DMSO group. Grayscale histogram analysis revealed that the PRP group effectively restored normal tendon echogenicity, with the mean gray value reaching near-normal limits ($126.77 pm 1.3$) at day 90 compared to the DMSO group ($82.37 pm 0.61$). Histopathologically, the PRP group exhibited an early, robust fibrovascular callus by day 15, progressing to highly organized, thick, parallel-oriented mature collagen bundles that regenerated normal tendon architecture by day 90. Conversely, the DMSO group showed less extensive fibrovascular callus and thin, semi-parallel collagen fibers at the study's termination.Conclusions: The surgical induction model successfully mimicked natural equine tenditis. Quantitative histogram grayscale analysis provided a reliable, non-invasive mirror of histological alterations during the healing process. While both treatments supported healing, intralesional PRP therapy demonstrated clear regenerative superiority over DMSO 10%, yielding rapid tissue remodeling, superior core-defect filling, and excellent architectural reorganization resembling normal tendinous tissue. |
