Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tibial slope changes after surgery for puppy knee fractures
By Turner, Abigail et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T·2025·Veterinary Specialists of Sydney, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Tibial Plateau Angle Changes following Repair of Salter-Harris Type 1 and 2 Fractures in Dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with Salter-Harris type 1 and type 2 fractures in their knee area underwent surgery using Kirschner wires, sometimes with an additional tension band. After the surgery, the angle of the knee joint improved significantly over the following weeks, indicating better alignment. This suggests that even if the initial repair isn't perfect, the risk of further knee issues may not increase, which could mean fewer follow-up surgeries are needed. Most of the dogs in the study were small breeds, so more research is needed for larger dogs.
People also search for: dog knee surgery recovery · Salter-Harris fracture treatment in dogs · dog knee joint angle improvement
Abstract
To determine (1) whether the tibial plateau angle (TPA) in dogs with Salter-Harris type 1 (SH-1) or type 2 (SH-2) fractures of the proximal tibial physis significantly decreases in the time between diagnosis and reevaluation following surgical repair and (2) whether the method of surgical repair influences the change in TPA over time.This study was a retrospective study. Medical records from 2017 to 2022 were reviewed to identify dogs with SH-1 or SH-2 fractures of the proximal tibial physis that had undergone surgical repair with Kirschner wires (K-wires), with or without a tibial tuberosity tension band. The TPA of the affected limb was measured by four investigators on radiographs taken prior to surgery, immediately postoperatively and at 4-8 weeks follow-up, with the average values recorded.A total of 32 dogs, 22 fractures repaired with K-wires and a tension band, and 10 with K-wires only. There was a mean decrease in TPA from injury to first reevaluation of 5.89 degrees ( < 0.001) and from immediately postoperatively to first reevaluation of 2.2 degrees ( = 0.018); however, no significant decrease in TPA was observed when comparing fractures repaired with or without a tension band.The TPA of dogs with SH-1 and SH-2 fractures of the proximal tibial physis decreased in the reevaluation interim following repair with K-wires with or without a tension band. Despite initial imperfect reduction, the risk of cranial cruciate ligament rupture may not be increased, potentially reducing the need for additional surgery if high TPA is observed postoperatively. This study was overrepresented by small breeds, and future studies on large and giant breeds with extended follow-up would be indicated.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39837558/