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Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2015; 28(06): 401-408
DOI: 10.3415/VCOT-14-05-0078
Original Research
Schattauer GmbH

Treatment of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in the feline stifle

Biomechanical comparison of a standard fabella-tibial suture and lateral sutures placed between quasi-isometric points
R. De. Sousa
1   Small Animal Teaching Hospital, Leahurst Campus, University of Liverpool, Neston, UK
,
M. Sutcliffe
2   Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
,
N. Rousset
3   Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
,
M. Holmes
3   Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
,
S.J. Langley-Hobbs
4   University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, UK
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received:27 May 2014

Accepted:27 July 2015

Publication Date:
23 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

Objective: To determine whether a lateral suture placed with bone anchors between quasi-isometric points in a cat is superior to a standard fabella-tibial suture for the stabilization of cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) rupture compared to an intact stifle joint.

Study design: Biomechanical cadaveric study.

Methods: Six stifle joints with intact cruciate ligaments from three skeletally mature cats were placed in a loading mounting set and tested with axial loads of 20N and 60N at three different joint angles (75°,130° and 160°). The procedure was repeated with a transected CrCL; a stabilized stifle joint after a combination of three lateral suture techniques (fabella-tibial suture technique [SFT]; femoro-tibial suture technique 1 [FTS-1] and femoro-tibial suture technique 2 [FTS-2]). Radiographic examination of the relative position of the tibia to the fixed femur was compared.

Results: Stabilization of the stifle joint with lateral sutures had comparable stability to the intact specimens in the cranio-caudal direction (p = 0.2) but not in the proximo- distal direction for the SFT (p = 0.04) and FTS-2 technique (p = 0.03). There was no significant difference between the three stabilization techniques (p >0.05).

Clinical significance: Lateral sutures placed with bone anchors at quasi-isometric points performed better than SFT and FTS-2 in stabilizing the feline stifle after CrCL rupture in the proximo-distal plane. Biomechanical stability in the cranio-caudal plane after placement of a lateral suture across the feline stifle was similar to the intact CrCL.

Keywords

Cat - stifle joint - cruciate disease - lateral suture - quasi-isometric points
 

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