Summary
Objectives: To compare the improvement in degree of lameness following surgical repair of cranial
cruciate ligament rupture in dogs using computer-assisted gait analysis.
Methods: Two groups of 14 dogs were used. One group was treated by a capsular-fascial imbrication
method, and the other group by tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO). All dogs
underwent gait analysis prior to surgery, as well as at four days, four weeks, and
four months after surgery. Symmetry indices of vertical ground reaction forces as
well as vertical ground reaction forces in % body weight, joint angles and certain
gait cycle parameters were evaluated.
Results: Four months after surgery, the degree of lameness expressed as symmetry index for
peak vertical force for the TPLO group (5.83%) was not significantly different to
the capsular-fascial imbrication group (19.05%). Within the TPLO group, there was
a significantly increased ability to extend the stifle joint four months after surgery.
The stifle motion pattern of the capsular-fascial imbrication group as well as the
range-of-motion in both groups showed very little change at the time of the last gait
analysis. The complication rate was greater in the TPLO group than in the capsular-fascial
group.
Clinical significance: In conclusion the results suggest that the TPLO method leads to a faster recovery
and improved limb function in comparison to the capsular-fascial imbrication method
four months after surgery. Further analyses are needed to determine if the TPLO method
is superior concerning long-term joint stability.
Online supplementary material: A video of the three-dimensional kinematic model is available online at: http://www.vcot-online.com
Keywords
Tibial plateau levelling osteotomy - capsularfascial imbrication method - ground reaction
forces - joint angles - instrumented treadmill