THE EFFECT OF INTERCONDYLAR NOTCHPLASTY ON THE NORMAL CANINE STIFLE

This study evaluated the effect of notchplasty (enlargement of the int ercondylar fossa) in stable and unstable canine stifles. Bilateral not chplasty and unilateral cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) transection w ere performed in 6 dogs. Exercise, consisting of walking 1.5 miles thr ee times a week, began 1 month after surgery and continued until eutha nasia 6 months after surgery. Evaluation methods included orthopedic e xamination, serial radiographs, thin section radiography, histopatholo gy, and gross pathology. Notchplasty in the stable stifle did not caus e lameness beyond 3 weeks, joint instability, or degenerative joint di sease. In the stable stifle, smooth resurfacing of the notchplasty sit e with fibrous and osseous tissue occurred. Stifles with notchplasty a nd CrCL transection exhibited persistent lameness, instability, and de generative joint disease. In CrCL deficient stifles osteophytes formed within the notchplasty site, resulting in a rough surface. Our observ ations indicated significant refilling in notchplasties of both stable and unstable stifles (P <.05). However, the intercondylar fossa (ICF) width 6 months after notchplasty was significantly smaller in unstabl e stifles compared with stable stifles (P <.05) indicating that greate r refilling of the notchplasties occurred in the unstable stifles. In clinical cases, notchplasty should be larger than the desired final re sult to accomodate the partial refilling that occurs even in stable st ifles. (C)Copyright 1995 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeon s