Anatomical Features of Ligaments of the Tarsal Joint in Khuzestan River buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

    The tarsal joint is anatomically complex region with many short bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons. The joint lesions of the water buffalo limbs are the most commen lesion encountred in the clinics. In addtion, the tarsal joint is a region of trumatic injuries, and joint affections due to lack of approrpoite soft- tissues covering. The aim of the study was to access complete and accurate detailed anatomical featuers of ligaments of the tarsal joint in Khuzestan river buffalo. The right and left of  the pelvic limbs (cut  from  the one-third part of the distal part of the tibia to the one-third of  the proximal part of the metatarsus) were obtained from five river buffalo bulls, aging approximatly 2-3 years old, from Ahvaz slaughterhouse. The short tarsal bones were located between of the distal extremity of the tibia,  malleolus of the fibular bone proximally and the metatarsal bones distally. The bony structures of the tarsal joint consisted of calcaneus, talus (proximal row), centroquartal bones (intermediate row), the first and fused second and third tarsal bones (distal row). The ligaments of the tarsal joint included of 1) lig. collaterale laterale/ mediale longum, 2) lig. collaterale laterale breve: pars calcaneofibularis, pars talofibularis, pars calcaneometatarsea, 3) lig. collaterale mediale breve: pars tibiocalcanea, pars tibiotalaris, pars tibiocentralis, 4) ligg. tarsi proximale: lig.  talocalcaneum laterale, lig. talocalcaneum plantare, 5) ligg. tarsi distalia: lig. tarsi dorsi: lig. talocentrodistometatarseum; lig. tarsi plantaria: lig. plantaria longum; lig. tarsi interossea, and 6) lig. tarsometatarsea. In comprative-anatomical aspect, the pars talofibularis of lig. collaterale laterale breve,  the pars tibiotalaris and pars tibiocentralis of lig. collaterale mediale breve, lig. talocentrodistometatarseum, and lig. plantaria longum  of the present studied river  bufaloes  differ from those of  reoprted ruminants animals.