Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog knee joint alignment and recovery after tibial tuberosity
By Skinner, O T et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2013·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: In vivo femorotibial subluxation during weight-bearing and clinical outcome following tibial tuberosity advancement for cranial cruciate ligament insufficiency in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 25 dogs with cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) insufficiency underwent a surgical procedure called tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) to help with their knee stability. After the surgery, many dogs still showed signs of joint misalignment during weight-bearing activities, but most owners reported that their pets improved in terms of lameness and overall limb function. The study found that while the surgery did not completely fix the joint alignment, it still helped many dogs regain good use of their legs.
People also search for: dog knee surgery recovery · cranial cruciate ligament treatment in dogs · TTA surgery outcome for dogs
Abstract
Ex vivo studies have been used extensively to investigate the mechanisms of tibial osteotomies but few have explored femorotibial alignment in vivo. The aim of this study was to assess femorotibial joint alignment under static weight-bearing conditions (and subsequent outcome) in dogs treated for cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) insufficiency with tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA). Twenty-five dogs (30 stifles) with CrCL insufficiency treated by TTA were included. The distance from the origin to insertion of the CrCL (CrCLd) was measured on non-weight-bearing immediate post-operative radiographs and weight-bearing follow-up radiographs. CrCLd values were compared using a paired t test. The relationship between change in CrCLd (ΔCrCLd) and post-operative patellar tendon angle according to the common tangent method (PTACT) was assessed using Pearson's correlation. Outcome was assessed with an owner-completed questionnaire, and peak vertical force (PVF) and vertical impulse (VI) as percentages of bodyweight (BW). Following TTA, 21/30 stifles were persistently subluxated at a follow-up of 18 ± 14 months (mean ± SD). Follow-up weight-bearing CrCLd was greater (P<0.001) than post-operative non-weight-bearing CrCLd, with a mean ΔCrCLd of 5.8 ± 3.4mm (16 ± 10%). Post-operative PTACT was 89 ± 3° and did not correlate with ΔCrCLd (r=0.002, P=0.994). Mean PVF and VI were 65 ± 10% BW and 9±2% BW, respectively. All owners felt TTA provided improvement in lameness. The results indicated that TTA does not normalize sagittal plane femorotibial stability during standing at a PTACT of 90°, but most dogs return to good limb function regardless of femorotibial alignment.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22990122/