Summary
Complete or partial rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) is a common injury
of the canine stifle. While numerous techniques have been developed for surgical treatment,
extra-articular methods with placement of a lateral suture remain a popular treatment
method. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential isometry of the six
suture-paired sites
two on the femur and three on the tibia. In six femoro-tibial specimens with intact
passive joint restraints, femoral sites adjacent to the proximal (F1) and distal (F2)
poles of the fabella, and tibial sites adjacent to the patella insertion (T1), immediately
cranial to (T2) and caudal to (T3) the long digital extensor tendon, were identified.
A suture from one femoral site to one tibial site was placed under 0 or 5 N of preload,
and tension was measured at joint angles of 150°, 130°, 90° and 50°. The F2-T3 combination
was found to be most isometric. Isometry was reassessed in the same specimens with
the suture in the F2-T3 position, and under 5 N, 10 N and 15 N of preload, and after
transection of the CCL. The suture pair retained its isometric pattern in the CCL
transected specimens. There was no effect of preload on isometry patterns.
Keywords
Cranial cruciate ligament - extra-articular repair - canine