Accuracy of intraoperative identification of the anatomical center of the knee joint in dogs

• Grant number: 23/02788-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: December 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Bruno Watanabe Minto
• Grantee: Lara Cristina de Melo Lopes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCrLD) is the main cause of pelvic limb claudication in dogs. Despite the expressive amount of techniques already described, Tibial-plateau-leveling osteotomy (TPLO) have been showing recently better overall results. This technique follows a standardized procedure and involves meticulous planning that must be followed precisely for excelling results. During planning, the knee angle rotation center is identified, which coincides with the radiographic overlap of the proximal interconnected proximal tibial imminences in the true lateral projection; the most important point of reference for planning and surgical procedure. However, during the transoperative period this point is not visible, being used as reference the medial collateral ligament of the knee. The studies already performed and published do not allow a clear interpretation of the accuracy of the relationship between the medial collateral ligament and the joint's center, especially when the knee is positioned at different angles of amplitude. Thus, this study aims to evaluate different radiographic positions of the identifying hypodermic needle of the joint's center in canine cadavers (15-25kg), with the knee at 90 and 135 degrees, in order to determine which will be more reliable in relation to the articular center, represented by the overlap of the interconnected tubers of the tibia. For this, six radiographs of each knee with different needle positions will be made, and then the distances from the needle location to the interconnected imminences will be measured in the Software RadiAnt DICOM®. The data obtained will be tabulated and will undergo statistical analysis to assess which position represents greater accuracy the articular center.