Correlation between the width of the patella and the tibial tuberosity in the frontal plane in dogs

• Grant number: 24/06885-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Bruno Watanabe Minto
• Grantee: Carlos Henrique Dias Pereira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Patellar dislocation is among the most common conditions that affect the knee and cause lameness of the pelvic limbs in dogs. To understand the cause of patellar dislocation, it is necessary to carry out a radiographic or tomographic study, which will provide information about the anatomical deformities present in the affected limb, such as tibial torsion. The deviation of the tibial tuberosity can be estimated, subjectively, by evaluating the proximal portion of the tibia through the craniocaudal tibial projection, comparing with the reference images of the internal\external tibial torsion table made by Petazzoni and Fetherston (2015). To identify the tibial tuberosity, its medial and lateral cortex is located, however, visualization of the medial cortex in the frontal plane is not always possible, thus, when only one cortex is identified, the width of the tibial tuberosity can be roughly corresponding to the patella width. However, studies already carried out and published do not clearly demonstrate the relationship between the patellar diameter and that of the tibial tuberosity in the frontal plane, which could assist in radiographic planning, as they are important milestones in the analysis of patellar dislocation and can facilitate measuring tibial torsion. Therefore, the objective of this work is to measure the width of the patella and tibial tuberosity in the frontal plane in canine cadavers of different sizes and evaluate whether there is a correlation between the measurements of these structures. To do this, both tibias will be evaluated radiographically, as well as the patella. The animals will also undergo the dissection process of the evaluated area, with the aim of carrying out a detailed measurement of the structures. The data obtained will be tabulated and will undergo statistical analysis to assess whether there is a correlation between the width of the tibial tuberosity and the patella.