Surgical treatment of cranial cruciate ligament disease in dogs using Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy or Tibial Tuberosity Advancement-A systematic review with a meta-analytic approach

Medial joint line tenderness is an indicator for meniscal injuries in dogs

BACKGROUND

Medial meniscal injury is an important aspect of cranial cruciate ligament disease in dogs. This study examines whether caudomedial joint line palpation of the stifle is correlated with medial meniscal injury in canine stifles with concurrent cranial cruciate ligament disease.

METHODS

A total of 91 dogs (97 stifles) presenting with cranial cruciate ligament disease were assessed by palpation of the caudomedial joint line of the affected stifle by a single surgeon. Surgery was then performed to assess for injury to the medial meniscus. The odds of dogs with pain on palpation having a medial meniscal tear were then calculated, with the significance level set at p-value of 0.05.

RESULTS

Dogs showing pain on caudomedial joint palpation had 34.5 times (95% confidence interval 9.7‒125) greater odds of having a medial meniscal tear. Pain on caudomedial joint line palpation had a sensitivity of 0.86, specificity of 0.85, positive predictive value of 0.94, negative predictive value of 0.70 and accuracy of 0.86 for identifying dogs with a medial meniscal tear.

LIMITATIONS

The amount of pressure placed on the caudomedial joint line was not assessed and a control group was not included.

CONCLUSION

Medial joint line tenderness has a significant relationship with medial meniscal tear in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease.

Outcome in 12 Dogs with Chronic Radiographic Cranial Tibial Subluxation after Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (2019-2021)

Objective

The objective of this study was to examine outcomes in dogs with cruciate ligament rupture (CR) that had chronic radiographic cranial tibial subluxation at the time of osteotomy healing after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). Study Design. Retrospective case analysis of 12 dogs with prospective follow-up. Four of the 12 dogs were prospectively studied 12-24 months after surgery to assess long-term radiographic and clinical outcomes.

Results

Three of the 4 dogs showed improvement in radiographic cranial tibial subluxation at long-term follow-up. In the other dog, minimally improved cranial tibial subluxation was associated with severe lameness. At long-term follow-up, gait analysis in 3 dogs with improved subluxation showed the symmetry of weight-bearing within 10% for peak vertical force, and no clinically lameness. Preoperative tibial plateau angle (TPA) and radiographic osteoarthritis in dogs with prospective follow-up and all dogs treated with TPLO surgery in the study period were not significantly different.

Conclusion

Dogs with chronic radiographic cranial tibial subluxation are acceptable candidates for TPLO. Radiographic improvement in stifle reduction may take more than 10 weeks. The dog with long-term persistent subluxation also had a higher TPA over time, suggestive of ineffective surgical correction with TPLO and treatment failure.

Osteoarthritis, adipokines and the translational research potential in small animal patients

Osteoartritis (OA) is a debilitating disease affecting both humans and animals. In the early stages, OA is characterized by damage to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and apoptosis and depletion of chondrocytes. OA progression is characterized by hyaline cartilage loss, chondrophyte and osteophyte formation, thickening of the joint capsule and function loss in the later stages. As the regenerative potential of cartilage is very limited and osteoarthritic changes are irreversible, prevention of OA, modulation of existing osteoarthritic joint inflammation, reducing joint pain and supporting joint function are the only options. Progression of OA and pain may necessitate surgical intervention with joint replacement or arthrodesis as end-stage procedures. In human medicine, the role of adipokines in the development and progression of OA has received increasing interest. At present, the known adipokines include leptin, adiponectin, visfatin, resistin, progranulin, chemerin, lipocalin-2, vaspin, omentin-1 and nesfatin. Adipokines have been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in joint homeostasis by modulating anabolic and catabolic balance, autophagy, apoptosis and inflammatory responses. In small animals, in terms of dogs and cats, naturally occurring OA has been clearly demonstrated as a clinical problem. Similar to humans, the etiology of OA is multifactorial and has not been fully elucidated. Humans, dogs and cats share many joint related degenerative diseases leading to OA. In this review, joint homeostasis, OA, adipokines and the most common joint diseases in small animals leading to naturally occurring OA and their relation with adipokines are discussed. The purpose of this review is highlighting the translational potential of OA and adipokines research in small animal patients.

Long-term outcome in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease evaluated using the canine orthopaedic index

BACKGROUND

Cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD) is common in dogs, but studies on the long-term treatment outcome are scarce.

METHODS

The long-term outcome in a cohort of 71 dogs with CCLD treated with tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO, n = 18), tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA, n = 23) or lateral fabellotibial suture (LFS, n = 30) was evaluated using the canine orthopaedic index.

RESULTS

The risk of stiffness and lameness was increased in dogs treated with TPLO (stiffness: incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.33, p = 0.015; lameness: IRR 1.34, p = 0.020) or TTA (stiffness: IRR 1.26, p = 0.035; lameness: IRR 1.31, p = 0.026) when compared to LFS at a median follow-up time of 4.6 years.

LIMITATIONS

No follow-up veterinary examination was performed. Data were collected from only two university animal hospitals, and thus, a referral bias towards more complicated cases is possible, which may limit the generalisability of the results.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians can use the results to inform dog owners about the expected long-term outcome in dogs with CCLD.

Economic Considerations on Costs and Pricing of Two Surgical Techniques for Treating Cranial Cruciate Disease in Dogs

In surgical treatment of cranial cruciate ligament disease in dogs, Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) and Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA) are commonly established procedures and have proven effective in restoring limb function. Unlike clinical outcome, economic aspects have not been studied as extensively. However, the surgical intervention poses an enormous financial burden on patients' owners. In a veterinary practice setting, this study compares prices for TPLO and TTA and examines prices differences as well as potential cost drivers. Charges for veterinary treatments are based on the Gebührenordnung für Tierärztinnen und Tierärzte (GOT), which is mandatory for veterinarians in Germany but allows a certain range in billing. This study found that TPLO is charged at a higher price than TTA; however, this might not cover the additional costs of this procedure. The price is also associated with weight, heavier dogs being more expensive. The underlying strategies for pricing decisions may be based on costs, as efforts for TPLO and heavier dogs are higher in terms of a prolonged surgical time, the number of staff involved and in surgeons' training. Price setting may also be based on a quality promise, suggesting better clinical outcome in a more expensive procedure. Future investigations should involve economic considerations and consider cost-effectiveness analysis when evaluating surgical treatment options.