Surgery to fix kneecap slipping in a growing dog

Abstract

Angular limb deformities are developmental bone-shape anomalies that typically occur due to abnormal physeal growth before skeletal maturity and result in musculoskeletal malalignment leading to abnormal limb appearance and mechanical dysfunction. The conformational and mechanical changes resulting from a bone deformity often require surgical correction. Surgical correction of a bone deformity after skeletal maturity is typically an invasive, open procedure requiring a corrective osteotomy followed by stabilization of the bone using implants. Early intervention in the skeletally immature animal can halt or reverse progression of the limb deformity and eliminate the need for a future invasive corrective osteotomy. Temporary hemiepiphysiodesis is a minimally invasive procedure used to modify the physeal growth pattern of an appendicular bone leading to reestablishment of normal bone conformation and mechanical function. This case report describes the use in a dog of a novel transphyseal bridge consisting of 2 bone screws and orthopedic wire for a hemiepiphysiodesis to correct a distal femoral valgus deformity that was resulting in lateral patellar luxation. Key clinical message: The use of a novel, custom, transphyseal bridge is described. This technique provides customizable implant sizing, accurate implant placement, and effective temporary physeal compression when hemiepiphysiodesis is implemented for interventional correction of a developing angular limb deformity.