Archie is a very sweet 5 year old Labrador x Staffordshire Bull Terrier referred to MVSC from Warrandyte Vet Clinic. Archie ruptured his cruciate ligament and had a TPLO (Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy) performed by specialist surgeon, Dr. Peter Laverty. The TPLO procedure is performed frequently at MVSC. Many people ask What is involved with a TPLO? This next paragraph of information gives a basic understanding. In order to accurately measure the slope of the tibial plateau (TPA), perfectly positioned X-rays are required. To achieve this, your dog will require a light sedation. Surgery involves initially exploring the knee joint to remove the torn remnants of the cruciate ligament and to inspect the menisci of the knee joint for damage. Following this a full thickness radial cut in the top of the tibia is made. The resultant small bone segment is then rotated a pre-determined distance to effectively “level” the top of the tibia (and eliminate the cranial tibial thrust). The tibial is then stabilized using a specially designed bone plate and screws. These implants provide the support while the osteotomy (bone cut) heals. These implants are designed to remain in the body and removal is rarely indicated. Two weeks after having the TPLO procedure, Archie came back to have his stitches removed. He is recovering well. He still needs to be keep confined for 6 weeks to ensure the bone heals completely. Photos L-R: 1. Archie 2 weeks after surgery 2 & 3. X-rays taken after the TPLO procedure was performed (showing the positioning of bone plate and screws)
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 23:45:00 +0000
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