Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy in Small Breed Dogs With High Tibial Plateau Angles Using a 4‐Hole 1.9/2.5 mm Locking T‐Plate

• Published in: Veterinary surgery Vol. 43; no. 5; pp. 549 - 557
• Main Authors: Witte, Philip G, Scott, Harry W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Harcourt Health Sciences 01-07-2014; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Animals; Anterior Cruciate Ligament - surgery; Bone Plates - veterinary; cranial cruciate ligament; Dog Diseases - surgery; Dogs; Female; Joint Instability - surgery; Joint Instability - veterinary; lameness; Lameness, Animal; Male; osteotomy; Osteotomy - veterinary; Pedigree; postoperative complications; Postoperative Complications - veterinary; questionnaires; radiography; Recovery of Function; Retrospective Studies; stifle; Stifle - surgery; Tibia - surgery
• ISSN: 0161-3499; 1532-950X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2014.12202.x

OBJECTIVES: To report clinical experiences with tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) to address cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease in small breed dogs with high tibial plateau angles (TPA) using a specific 4‐hole locking T‐plate. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: Small breed dogs (<15 kg) with high TPA (>30°): n = 19 (29 CCL ruptures). METHODS: TPLO was performed by standard technique using a 1.9/2.5 mm 4‐hole locking T‐plate. Preoperative, immediate postoperative, and 6–8 weeks postoperative TPA were measured from radiographs. Lameness was scored subjectively preoperatively and 6–8 weeks postoperatively. Mid to long term follow‐up was by client telephone questionnaire (mean, 12.1 months after surgery). RESULTS: Mean ± SD preoperative TPA was 37.0 ± 4.9°, immediate postoperative TPA, 6.4 ± 2.8° and 6–8 weeks postoperative TPA, 8.0 ± 4.9°. Postoperative complications occurred in 4 dogs (13.8%) all of which had been operated as single‐session bilateral procedures. Three stifles had failure of a single screw and postoperative increase in TPA. Periprosthetic infection necessitated plate removal in 1 dog. Lameness scores by veterinary assessment reduced from mean 3.4/5 preoperatively to 0.4/5 at 6–8 weeks postoperatively. Mid to long‐term follow‐up revealed no lameness by owner assessment. CONCLUSION: A 4‐hole 1.9/2.5 mm locking T‐plate may be used in the stabilization of unilateral TPLO in small breed dogs with high TPA.