Osteotomia de nivelamento do platô tibial no tratamento da ruptura do ligamento cruzado cranial - estudo clínico em cães Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy on the treatment cranial cruciate ligament rupture - clinic study in dogs

- 36 o . Trinta animais (75%) voltaram a apoiar o membro operado nos primeiros sete dias, enquanto seis animais (15%) apoiaram ate o 15 o dia, um animal (2,5%) apoiou ate o 21 o dia e outro (2,5%) ate o 28 o dia. Tres animais (7,5%) apresentaram complicacoes pos- operatorias, sendo elas: deiscencia de sutura, fratura tibial, falha no implante. A tecnica de TPLO mostrou-se eficaz no tratamento de caes com diferentes pesos com RLCC. O apoio precoce do membro afetado ocorreu na maioria dos animais. As complicacoes encontradas, que envolviam o procedimento cirurgico, puderam ser corrigidas. Abstract Cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) frequently causes hindlimb limping in dogs. Recent studies showed that tibial plateau angle shift is associated with CCLR. Based on this founding the tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) technique was developed. It consists about osteotomy, rotation and stabilization of tibial proximal portion, which modify joint mechanics thus neutralizing tibial cranial thrust. The proposal of this study is to report a review of the TPLO procedure, emphasizing procedure, surgical technique, post operative care and complications. Fourty dogs presenting CCLR were submitted to surgery, seventeen with the left limb affected, 23 on the right. The tibial plateau angles before surgery varied from 16 o to 36 o . Thirty animals (75%) returned to limb normal use in a week; six animals (15%) were back to normal deambulation to the fifteenth day, one animal (2,5%) were back to normal deambulation to the 20 0 day other one before the 30 o day. Three animals (7,5%) had surgical post-operatory complications, including suture descending, tibial fracture and implant failure. TPLO technique seemed appropriate for treatment of CCLR from dogs within a broad weight range. Early limb use occurred in most animals. Eventual problems arose from surgical procedure, and were promptly corrected.