Systematic Review of Surgical Treatments for Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease in Dogs

Surgery for cranial cruciate ligament disease is often recommended; however, it is unclear if one procedure is superior. The aim of this systematic review was to answer the a priori question, “Is there a surgical procedure that will allow a consistent return to normal clinical function in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease and is that procedure superior to others?” A systematic literature search was performed through September 2013. Peer reviewed publication in the English language and 6 mo of postoperative follow-up were required. In total, 444 manuscripts were identified and reviewed, and 34 met the inclusion criteria. Two studies provided level 1, 6 provided level 2, 6 provided level 3, and 20 provided level 4 evidence relative to the study question. The most common surgical procedures included tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO, n = 14), lateral extracapsular suture (n = 13), tibial tuberosity advancement (n = 6). The strength of the evaluated evidence most strongly supports the ability ...