Candela Andrade Mario, Hoffmann Senta Maria, Slunsky Pavel, De Rus Aznar Ignacio, Brunnberg Leo
Department of Medicine, Health and Medical University, Potsdam, Germany.
Tierarztpraxis am Tierheim Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Front Vet Sci. 2025 Mar 25;12:1544445. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1544445. eCollection 2025.
Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture is the most common orthopedic condition in dogs, with many surgical options available for its treatment. Thickening of the patellar ligament after capsular and fascial imbrication (CFI) is a frequently reported complication, but its clinical significance remains unclear.
This prospective study evaluated patellar ligament structural and thickness changes after CCL repair using CFI. Forty-six dogs with CCL ruptures treated at the Small Animal Clinic of Freie Universität Berlin between July 2013 and April 2015 were included. Clinical, radiographic, and sonographic assessments were performed pre-surgery and at 2-3 months and 8-10 months post-surgery. Parameters assessed included lameness scores, joint effusion, stability, extension pain, muscular atrophy, and arthritis. Uninjured contralateral joints from 20 dogs served as controls.
Postoperative improvements included reduced lameness scores, joint effusion, instability, and extension pain. Patellar ligament thickness increased from 1.6 mm pre-surgery to 5.4 mm at 2-3 months, then decreased to 3.9 mm by 8-10 months. Structural changes peaked at the first follow-up (52.9%) and decreased by the second (6.4%). No significant correlations were found between ligament changes and clinical outcomes, patient demographics, or adjunct treatments like NSAIDs or physical therapy.
Patellar ligament alterations following CFI appear temporary and largely unrelated to clinical signs, patient factors, or treatment variables. These findings suggest that such changes do not significantly impact postoperative outcomes, underscoring the reliability of CFI as a treatment option for CCL rupture in dogs.
颅交叉韧带（CCL）断裂是犬类最常见的骨科疾病，针对其治疗有多种手术选择。关节囊和筋膜重叠缝合（CFI）后髌韧带增厚是一种经常报道的并发症，但其临床意义仍不明确。
本前瞻性研究评估了使用CFI修复CCL后髌韧带的结构和厚度变化。纳入了2013年7月至2015年4月在柏林自由大学小动物诊所接受治疗的46只CCL断裂犬。在术前、术后2 - 3个月和8 - 10个月进行临床、放射学和超声评估。评估参数包括跛行评分、关节积液、稳定性、伸展疼痛、肌肉萎缩和关节炎。20只犬的未受伤对侧关节作为对照。
术后改善包括跛行评分降低、关节积液减少、不稳定性降低和伸展疼痛减轻。髌韧带厚度从术前的1.6毫米增加到2 - 3个月时的5.4毫米，然后到8 - 10个月时降至3.9毫米。结构变化在首次随访时达到峰值（52.9%），第二次随访时下降（6.4%）。在韧带变化与临床结果、患者特征或非甾体抗炎药或物理治疗等辅助治疗之间未发现显著相关性。
CFI后髌韧带的改变似乎是暂时的，并且在很大程度上与临床体征、患者因素或治疗变量无关。这些发现表明，此类变化不会对术后结果产生显著影响，强调了CFI作为犬类CCL断裂治疗选择的可靠性。
