Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Jumbo plate after knee surgery does not stop tibial angle increase
By MacCormick, Mathew R A & Daye, Robert M·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2023·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Use of a jumbo plate in dogs greater than 50 kg following tibial plateau leveling osteotomy does not prevent increase in tibial plateau angle through convalescence.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of large dogs over 110 pounds underwent surgery to fix knee problems using a special plate, but the surgery didn't stop the knee angle from changing during recovery. Out of 22 dogs, nearly half had complications, but most were treated successfully, and the dogs healed well overall. Owners reported that their pets had good long-term outcomes despite the issues during recovery.
People also search for: dog knee surgery complications · TPLO surgery recovery for large dogs · giant breed dog knee problems
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of a locking 3.5/4.0-mm jumbo tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) plate in maintaining the postoperative tibial plateau angle (TPA) in giant-breed dogs weighing > 50 kg and to report the associated complications. ANIMALS: Canine patients weighing > 50 kg that underwent TPLO stabilized with a locking 3.5/4.0-mm jumbo TPLO plate between January 2017 and May 2022. METHODS: Retrospective case series retrieving postoperative outcomes from the medical records. Healing scores and TPAs were calculated using postoperative and recheck radiographs. Owner-perceived outcomes were obtained via questionnaire. RESULTS: 24 stifles in 22 dogs were included. Postoperative complications were recorded in 11 of 24 cases (45.8%) inclusive of 1 minor, 1 catastrophic, and 9 major complications. A statistically significant increase in TPA over the convalescent period was found. Grade 4 healing was present in 18 of 24 (75%) stifles, while the remainder were scored as grade 3. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of a locking 3.5/4.0-mm jumbo TPLO plate did not prevent a statistically significant increase in TPA through convalescence. This procedure displayed an unacceptably high complication rate when compared with contemporary literature of TPLO. Despite a high complication rate in this patient population, most complications were successfully managed with medical and/or surgical treatment, and high mean and median healing scores were achieved at the radiographic recheck. Additionally, owner-perceived long-term outcomes were excellent.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37699545/