Multiligament stifle injury, a multicenter retrospective study in 26 dogs

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Surgery
• Canine Orthopedics
• Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background:

• Multiligament stifle injuries are complex orthopedic conditions in dogs.
• These injuries often result from significant trauma such as road traffic accidents or limb entrapment.
• Accurate diagnosis and surgical management are crucial for optimal outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize multiligament stifle injuries in dogs.
• To document associated complications following surgical treatment.
• To evaluate long-term outcomes and success rates of surgical interventions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records from six veterinary hospitals.
• Inclusion of 26 client-owned dogs with surgically treated multiligament stifle injuries.
• Collection of long-term follow-up data from referring veterinarians.

Main Results:

• Cranial cruciate ligament rupture was present in all cases, often combined with lateral collateral ligament injury.
• A high incidence of short-term (17/25) and long-term (7/18) complications was observed, including a previously unreported patella luxation.
• Overall outcomes were excellent in 9/24, good in 5/24, fair in 7/24, and poor in 3/24 dogs.

Conclusions:

• Multiligament stifle injuries in dogs are linked to a significant rate of major complications.
• Surgical management resulted in good to excellent outcomes in just over half of the studied canine population.
• Further research into optimizing surgical techniques and complication management is warranted.