Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Implant removal after tibial plateau surgery in 129 dogs
By Thompson, A M et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T·2011·Iowa State University, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Tibial plateau levelling osteotomy implant removal: a retrospective analysis of 129 cases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs that had undergone a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) surgery had their implants removed due to issues like open wounds, draining tracts, and limping. In 126 out of 129 cases, the implants were taken out about 16 months after the initial surgery, often because of local infections. Most of the implants removed were a specific type called Slocum TPLO plates, which seemed to have a higher complication rate. The dogs showed improvement after the implants were removed, addressing the infections and inflammation.
People also search for: dog limping after TPLO surgery · TPLO implant removal recovery · signs of infection in dog after surgery
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a cohort of dogs undergoing tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) implant removal to determine key clinical features, prevalence, and indications for implant removal. METHODS: Medical records of dogs undergoing TPLO implant removal at a private referral practice (Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center) between 2004-2008 were reviewed. Patient signalment, implant type, presence of concurrent medical disease, surgeon, antibiotic use, aerobic bacterial culture result, and operative findings were recorded. Data were analyzed using paired t-test, Fisher's exact test, and Wilcoxon-rank sum test. Statistical significance was set at p <0.05. RESULTS: The TPLO implants were removed from 126 dogs (n = 129, 4.8% of TPLO procedures) during the study period. Average time interval from TPLO to implant removal was 16.0 ± 17.8 months. The most common clinical signs were the presence of an open wound (n = 80), draining tract (n = 64), and lameness (n = 59). Culture of tissue or fluid from the implant bed or implants was positive for bacterial growth in 95/115 cases. A significantly greater proportion of the implants removed were Slocum TPLO plates (n = 109; 6.1%) when compared to other TPLO plate types (n = 20; 2.3%) (p <0.0001). No association was identified between a positive bacterial culture and measured variables. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Local bacterial infection and clinical signs of inflammation were the most common reasons for TPLO implant removal. There may be an increased implant-associated complication rate for Slocum TPLO plates in the study population.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21975493/