Technique Used In Human Ankle Injuries Modified To Treat Dogs' Knees

Link: Technique Used In Human Ankle Injuries Modified To Treat Dogs' Knees.
Technique Used In Human Ankle Injuries Modified To Treat Dogs' Knees
ScienceDaily (Jun. 16, 2008) —

A common sports injury in human knees is even more common in dogs.
Each year, more than one million dogs suffer from cranial cruciate
ligament (CCL) deficiency, which is comparable to the anterior cruciate
ligament (ACL) injury in humans. The common method of treatment by many
veterinary surgeons involves cutting the tibia bone to stabilize the
CCL-deficient knee in these dogs.

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Now, a new minimally invasive technique with less severe
complications than previous methods has been developed by a University
of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine researcher.

Unlike humans, CCL injuries in dogs typically do not occur because
of a single trauma to the knee but are the result of a degenerative
process that leads to early and progressive arthritis. For this reason,
and the unique biomechanics of the canine knee, techniques used to
repair the injury in humans do not work well for dogs.  The new
technique, known as Tightrope CCL, is modified from a technique used in
human ankles and allows placement of a device that stabilizes the
CCL-deficient knee through bone tunnels drilled using very small
incisions. MU veterinarian James Cook worked with Arthrex Inc. from
Naples, Fla., to develop and test the Tightrope device for dogs.
“Other current techniques require major surgery that involve cutting
the bone, which can potentially lead to severe complications, such as
fracture, implant failure and damage to the joint,” said Cook,
professor of veterinary medicine and surgery and the William C. Allen
Endowed  Professor for Orthopedic Research. “This new technique is
minimally invasive, relatively easy to perform and cost effective
compared to other techniques. The dogs in the preliminary trial study
experienced fewer and less severe complications with outcomes that were
equal to or better than those seen with the bone-cutting technique.”
Cruciate ligament tears are five times more common in dogs than
humans and cost U.S. pet-owners more than $1.3 billion each year. The
new technique is not for every dog. Because surgeons must be able to
drill tunnels in the bone, dogs must weigh at least 40 pounds for the
Tightrope CCL method to be feasible.  In addition, dogs that cannot
follow a physical rehabilitation protocol after surgery and dogs with
limb deformities are not candidates for this technique. The 10- to
12-week rehabilitation period is very important for any surgical
technique for CCL deficiency in order to optimize successful return to
pain-free function and reduce complications, Cook said.

“The times the Tightrope CCL technique has failed are when owners
did not give their dogs the full rehabilitation period and let their
dogs run, play or traumatize the joint before the knees were ready,”
Cook said. “A successful operation is dependent on postoperative care
so that the dog can heal well and build muscle for long term function.
The Tightrope CCL technique is designed to allow this to happen with
less surgery and less risk of a major problem arising, and so far, it
has been successful.”

Comments

[AK4me]

Are there any veterinarians in the Anchorage area who perform the Tightrope CCL procedure?