Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgery to fix knee ligament tears in large dogs and infection risks
By Guénégo, Laurent et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T·2025·Clinique Vé, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Modified Cranial Closing Wedge Osteotomy (AMA-Based CCWO) to Treat Cranial Cruciate Ligament Deficient Stifle in 204 Dogs Over 50 Kg: Magnitude of the Craniocaudal Angulation of the Proximal Tibia and Rate of Surgical Site Infection.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 204 large dogs over 50 kg with knee problems caused by a torn cranial cruciate ligament underwent a specific surgical procedure called modified cranial closing wedge osteotomy (AMA-based CCWO). After the surgery, most dogs showed proper alignment of their leg bones, and all had good healing within eight weeks, with very few complications. The treatment involved stabilizing the knee with a special plate and providing antibiotics to prevent infection. This approach appears to be effective and safe for large dogs with this type of injury.
People also search for: dog knee surgery recovery · cranial cruciate ligament treatment large dogs · surgical site infection in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:  The aim of this retrospective study was to report the magnitude of the craniocaudal angulation of the proximal tibia (CCAPT) quantified by the angle between the anatomical axis (AA) and the mechanical axis (MA), called the AMA angle, and the tibial plateau angle (TPA) in dogs >50 kg that were treated by cranial closing wedge osteotomy based on the AMA angle (AMA-based CCWO). Furthermore, the percentage of dogs in which the AA and MA could be aligned postoperatively and the rate of surgical site infection (SSI) were reported. STUDY DESIGN:  Medical records (between January 2016 and September 2023) were reviewed for 204 dogs that had AMA-based CCWO stabilized with a double locking plate (DLP) fixation with or without joint exploration plus a Robert Jones bandage (RJB) and were given postoperative antibiotics. RESULTS:  The median (range) preoperative AMA angle and TPA were 3.1° (0-5.1°) and 30° (22-49.6°), respectively, and the postoperative AMA angle and TPA were 0° (-2.4 to 1.6°) and 9.2° (4-15°), respectively. The AA and MA were aligned in 82% of dogs. Grade 4 healing occurred in all osteotomies by 8 weeks postoperatively. Except for one dog, no SSIs were recorded. CONCLUSION:  Concerning the magnitude of CCAPT in dogs >50 kg and the low SSI rate, AMA-based CCWO stabilized with a DLP fixation plus an RJB and postoperative antibiotics should be considered for treating cranial cruciate ligament-deficient stifles in this subset of dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39255812/