Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with torn knee ligament treated with new arthroscopic surgery
By Fauqueux, François et al.·Published in Open veterinary journal·2023·Clinique Vé, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Intra-articular replacement of the caudal cruciate ligament using a UHMWPE ligament under arthroscopic guidance in a dog: A case report.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old Shepherd dog was brought in for mild limping due to a torn caudal cruciate ligament (CdCL) in its knee. The veterinarian performed a new surgical technique using a synthetic ligament made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) to replace the damaged ligament. Although the dog experienced some inflammation and mild lameness for the first six months after surgery, it fully recovered and returned to normal activity levels. Follow-up assessments showed excellent results, indicating that this surgical approach could be a promising option for similar injuries in dogs.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: As isolated ruptures of the caudal cruciate ligament (CdCL) are rare in dogs, there is no consensus on the indications and the gold-standard surgical technique for treatment. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 2-year-old Shepherd dog with an isolated rupture of the CdCL was treated with a new surgical technique for synthetic reconstruction. Three bone tunnels were drilled in the femur and the tibia under arthroscopic guidance to make sure the anatomical insertions of the physiological ligament were respected. An ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) implant was fixed with interference screws to reconstruct the CdCL. A synovial inflammation remained present on radiographs for 6 months after the surgery, together with a mild lameness. However, the dog fully recovered clinically and recovered a normal level of activity after 6 months. Liverpool osteoarthritis in dogs questionnaire results at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively were excellent. CONCLUSION: The use of a UHMWPE implant fixed with interference screws to reconstruct the CdCL allowed a return to full function of the knee without complications, despite a persistent synovial inflammation and mild lameness for a 6-month period after the surgery. The success of this isolated surgical technique could lead to improvements in the surgical management of CdCL rupture, if these initial results are confirmed by a prospective study with a larger number of patients.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37614738/