Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cartilage damage in dog knees with cruciate ligament disease
By Agnello, Kimberly A et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T·2021·Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Arthroscopic Articular Cartilage Scores of the Canine Stifle Joint with Naturally Occurring Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease underwent arthroscopic surgery to assess the condition of their knee cartilage. The results showed that all dogs had some level of cartilage damage, but the severity was generally mild. The most affected area was the proximal trochlear groove of the femur. While there was a link between inflammation in the joint and cartilage damage, tears in the meniscus did not seem to affect the cartilage condition. Overall, the findings suggest that while cartilage issues are common in dogs with CCL disease, they are often not severe.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE:  This study aimed to evaluate frequency, location and severity of cartilage pathology in dogs with naturally occurring cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease. STUDY DESIGN:  Stifle arthroscopic video recordings ( = 120) were reviewed. A modified Outerbridge classification system (MOCS) (0-4) was used to score cartilage at 10 locations in the femorotibial (medial and lateral femoral condyles and tibial plateaus) and patellofemoral compartments (proximal, middle and distal locations of the patella and femoral trochlear groove) of the stifle joint. Synovial pathology was scored and the presence of a medial meniscal tear was recorded. A Kruskal-Wallis test was used to evaluate association of location and synovitis with cartilage score; and presence of meniscal tear with cartilage and synovitis scores. Bonferroni correction was utilized and < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS:  Cartilage pathology and synovitis were identified in all joints. Overall cartilage severity scores were low (median MOCS 1). The median MOCS of the proximal trochlear groove (2) was significantly higher than all other locations evaluated. Higher synovitis scores were significantly associated with higher cartilage severity scores and a medial meniscal tear had no association with cartilage severity scores or synovitis. CONCLUSION:  Arthroscopic articular cartilage lesions are common in dogs with CCL disease at the time of surgical intervention, although the severity of cartilage damage is mild. The proximal trochlear groove of the femur had the most severe cartilage score in the stifle joint.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33142348/