Capital femoral epiphyseal infarction in skeletally immature broilers.

Varying degrees of capital femoral epiphyseal infarction have been identified in broiler chickens. The extent of vascular occlusion was more extensive than observed in capital femoral dyschondroplasia and growth plate cartilage retention was not a constant finding. Epiphyseal vascular occlusion resulted in growth plate cartilage necrosis. It is suggested that proliferating chondrocyte death and matrix disruption would predispose to epiphyseolysis. Similarities between avian capital femoral epiphyseal infarction and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease have been noted.