TPLO Surgery
Some background on TPLO, what to expect, and some things you should consider.
Torn cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) is a major cause of rear leg lameness in dogs. For years the surgical correction involved replacing the torn ligament with a piece of the patella (kneecap) tendon or a heavy suture material to stabilize the joint. Neither of these procedures returned the knee to normal function especially in large dogs.
Dr. Barclay Slocum and his wife Theresa developed a procedure that does return the knee to normal function. It is called the tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). The tibial plateau in dogs with torn cruciate ligaments usually has an angle of 15-32 degrees. The TPLO surgery 'levels' the plateau to 5-7 degrees, which eliminates the tendncy of the femur (thigh bone) to slide down the tibial plateau (top of the tibia which is the bone between the knee and ankle). Once the plateau is leveled, the femur sits firmly on it when the leg is in motion.
In order to perform a TPLO, the veterinarian must attend a course and receive a special license. Dr. Wise is one of only a few TPLO licensed veterinarians in South Florida.
TPLO Surgery: What to Expect
Dogs that have the TPLO done usually are putting the foot down within 7-10 days and are walking well in 6-8 weeks. Range of motion in the joint returns in 3-4 months after surgery.
It is important to correct the torn cruciate ligament soon after it is injured to prevent the meniscus (the c-shaped cartilage that football players often injure) from being damaged and before the cruciate ligament in the other knee tears. Within 9-10 months of tearing a cruciate, 60 - 70% of animals tear the cruciate ligament in the other knee. Two torn curciate ligaments is a crippling disorder. Eighty-five percent of arthritis in the knee joints of dogs is caused by un-repaired torn cruciate ligaments.
TPLO Surgery Complications: Rare
Complications of the TPLO surgery include tissue reaction to the sutures, occasional screw back out if the pet is too active early in the healing process, and infection. The complications are rare (about 2 - 3%) and can be handled if they occur.
