CRANIAL CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RUPTURE IN THE DOG - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY COMPARING SURGICAL TECHNIQUES

Three surgical techniques, grouped as intra-articular techniques, extr acapsular techniques and fibular head transposition, were used for rep air of the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL)-deficient stifle in 113 dog s over a 4 year 4 month period. The clinical outcome, of the technique s were compared using information provided by the owners and physical examination. Regardless of surgical technique, 85.7 to 91.0% of dogs s howed clinical improvement after surgery. However, less than 50% of do gs became clinically sound on the operated leg and 9.0 to 14.3% of dog s remained persistently lame on the operated leg. No Statistical assoc iation was found between result after surgery and age, body weight, se x, duration of injury before surgery, association with injury, tibial plateau angle, degree of radiographic osteoarthritis before surgery or the presence of concurrent medial meniscal injury. On physical examin ation, extra-capsular techniques appeared superior to the fibular head transposition in terms of joint stability and limb function. Concurre nt medial meniscal injury necessitating meniscectomy existed in 48.0% of cases. Twenty-two percent of dogs ruptured their contralateral CCL at an average of 14 months after the first.