Cranial cruciate ligament repair in dogs with and without meniscal lesions treated by different minimally invasive methods

SummaryThe goal of this study was to evaluate different minimally invasive surgical options as therapy for cranial cruciate ligament rupture and resulting meniscal injuries. In this study, 81 stifle joints of dogs with complete or partial rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament were treated with minimally invasive surgery at the Small Animal Clinic of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover. The patients were divided into three groups depending on intraoperative diagnosis and the surgical technique applied. The dogs in group I (n = 26) had an isolated rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament (CCLR), while those in groups II (n = 26) and III (n = 29) also had an injury of the medial meniscus. Re-section of the damaged meniscal part was performed by arthroscopically guided partial meniscectomy (AGPM) on the dogs in group II, while minimally invasive medial arthrotomy (MIMA) was used on the dogs of group III. All of the stifles were stabilized with a modified lateral imbrication technique using a braided, synthetic, absorbable suture material (Panacryl®). Six months after surgery 76.5% of all patients were examined clinically and 74.1% radiographically for evaluation of the success of the different treatment techniques. At this examination, there were no signs of lameness in 42.1% of group I (CCLR), 65.0% of group II (AGPM) and 87.0% of group III (MIMA). Upon palpation, 75.8% of these stifle joints were found to be stable. Radiographic evaluations did not show any indication of progression of gonarthrosis in 73.3% of all stifle joints examined here.