Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Complications after tibial plateau surgery in small dogs under 15 kg
By Marin, Karen et al.·Published in PloS one·2021·LeadER Animal Specialty Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Risk factors for short-term postoperative complications in the 8 weeks after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy in dogs weighing less than 15 kilograms: A retrospective study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A small dog weighing less than 15 kg underwent surgery called tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) to fix a torn ligament in its knee. After the surgery, there was a low complication rate of about 4.4%, with only a few cases of minor issues that didn't need further surgery. The study found that using a specific type of plate during the procedure was linked to a higher chance of complications, but overall, small dogs had good recovery outcomes. This suggests that TPLO is a safe and effective option for treating knee injuries in small dogs.
People also search for: dog knee surgery recovery · TPLO complications small dog · cranial cruciate ligament tear treatment
Abstract
The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the risk factors for short-term postoperative complications in the 8 weeks after unilateral tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) for cranial cruciate ligament rupture in small dogs weighing less than 15 kg. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for 90 dogs weighing <15 kg that underwent medial parapatellar arthrotomy with inspection of the meniscus and TPLO performed by the same surgeon between January 2012 and December 2017. The overall complication rate was 4.44% (4/90 dogs). There were four cases of partial incisional dehiscence, none of which required surgical revision. Complications were significantly more likely in dogs that had undergone placement of a 2.4-mm TPLO plate. Overall, the complication rate was less than that in previous studies of dogs weighing > 15kg. In this study, patients in which 2.4-mm TPLO plates were used were more likely to develop postoperative complications. Dogs weighing <15 kg that underwent TPLO had good short-term outcomes with minimal complications. In our study, the overall complication rate after TPLO in dogs weighing <15 kg is less than that historically reported in heavier dogs. Our data suggests that TPLO is a safe treatment option in small dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33630887/