Adult Lameness Flashcards
What is the most likely cause of hindlimb lameness in dogs?
Cruciate disease
Is cruciate disease commonly seen in cats?
No, occasionally seen in overweight cats or as part of severe stifle disruption
Which meniscus is injured in cruciate disease?
Medial (lateral meniscus attached to femur so moves with it and not injured)
Function of cranial and caudal ligaments
Stabilise stifle preventing tibia moving forward or backward relative to femur
Tibial compression test
Identifies if cranial cruciate ligament is ruptured (forward movement of tibia)
Cranial draw test
Identifies if cranial cruciate ligament is ruptured (forward movement of tibia)
Stabilisation techniques for cruciate disease
Lateral fabello tibial suture
TPLO
Aetiology of cruciate disease (3 theories account for high prevalence in canine population)
Angle of tibial plateau (steeper = greater strain on cranial cruciate, West Highland terrier)
Autoimmune disease
Intercondylar width (narrow distance between medial and lateral femoral condyles = greater strain on cranial cruciate, Labrador retriever)
What is 1? (Left canine stifle)
Cranial cruciate
What is 2? (Left canine stifle)
Lateral meniscus
What is 3? (Left canine stifle)
Medial meniscus
What is 4? (Left canine stifle)
Insertion of cranial cruciate and intermeniscal ligament
Is the cranial cruciate a single structure?
Yes, broad band
What movement does the cranial cruciate prevent?
Cranial movement of tibia in relation to femur when weight bearing, and limits internal rotation
Craniomedial component is taut in both extension and flexion, the caudolateral in extension only
What instability is caused with partial rupture of the cranial cruciate?
Instability in flexion only
Stifle menisci details
Two (lateral and medial) crescent shaped fibrocartilaginous structures
Broader at extremities where they have blood supply and innervation for pain and proprioception
Function of stifle menisci
Improve congruity of curved femoral condyles and flat surface of tibial plateau
Why can’t the medial meniscus move with the tibia?
Attached to medial collateral ligament
How is the tibial plateau angle measured?
Stifle and tarsus flexed at 90 degrees, superimpose femoral condyles
How does ‘normal’ tibial plateau angle vary between breeds?
Greater in smaller breeds
Acute presentation of cruciate disease
Traumatic injury
May be accompanied by other injuries (collateral ligament rupture in cat with dislocated stifle)
10/10 lame, tentatively weight bear after 3-4 days
Acute on chronic cruciate disease
Degenerative changes precede a more acute rupture
Chronic cruciate disease
Degenerative changes within cruciate, particularly seen in large breeds (most common presentation)
Lameness on rising
Swelling to medial aspect of stifle (medial buttress)
Swelling to stifle
Pain on extension and flexion
Palpable or audible click if concurrent meniscal injury
Why might there be stability in stifle with chronic cruciate disease? (Negative response to cranial drawer test or tibial thrust)
Periarticular fibrosis (thickened joint capsule)
What disease is shown in this radiograph?
Cruciate disease (joint effusion with loss of sub-patella fat pad, osteoarthritis changes)
First site of osteophyte formation in cruciate disease
Fabellae
Conservative management for cruciate disease
Rest and analgesia for dogs <5kg and cats
How long should conservative management approach be attempted in cruciate disease (if no improvement seen)?
6 weeks, might be meniscal tear if no improvement
Adjuncts to rest and analgesia in conservative management of cruciate disease
Braces to support unstable stifle
Physiotherapy
Weight loss
Candidates for surgical management of cruciate disease
Large and athletic dogs
Small dogs with steep tibial plateau angle (>30 degrees)
Strong index of suspicion of meniscal injury (e.g. meniscal click on manipulation of joint)
Surgical treatment options for cruciate disease that reconstruct/replace ruptured ligament
Fabello-tibial suture (DeAngelis suture)
Over the top (facia lata prosthesis)
Tightrope technique (Arthrex)
Surgical approaches to managing the tibial thrust in cruciate disease
TPLO/tibial plateau levelling osteotomy
TTA/tibial tuberosity advancement
TTT/triple tibial osteotomy
What surgical treatment of cruciate disease is this?
Fabellotibial suture
What surgical treatment of cruciate disease is this?
TPLO
What surgical treatment of cruciate disease is this?
Closing wedge osteotomy
What surgical treatment of cruciate disease is this?
TTA
Does TTA or TPLO give superior results?
TPLO