Summary
Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is a condition affecting human adolescents in which
there is partial separation of bone fragments from the tibial tuberosity at the site
of insertion of the patellar ligament to the tibial tuberosity. Tensile trauma seems
to be the most likely aetiology. Clinical signs in people consist of swelling and
pain at the proximal part of the tibial tuberosity and around the distal end of patellar
ligament. Radiographs frequently show small ossicles at the patellar ligament insertion.
Conservative treatment is usually curative. The term OSD has also been used for the
canine patient. However, radiographs of these patients typically show an enlarged
radio-lucent line at the apophyseal plate of the tibial tuberosity. This finding is
consistent with a mild avulsion fracture of the canine tibial tuberosity. Based on
the radiographic differences between the two species, it seems more appropriate to
use the term OSD only for people. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature
on OSD in people and the reports of injuries to the proximal tibial tuberosity in
dogs. In addition, a new classification system for tibial tuberosity avulsion injuries
in the immature dog is proposed, with an algorithm for management of this injury.
Keywords
Osgood-Schlatter disease - avulsion - dog - tibial tuberosity - apophysis
