Post-op X-ray                                                        7 wk X-ray

MMP-TTA CRUCIATE SURGERY - ALFIE'S STORY

Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease is a very common orthopaedic condition in dogs.

​There are two cruciate ligaments within the stifle (knee). These two ligaments are responsible for holding the far end of the femur (thigh bone) on top of the tibia (shin bone). The cranial cruciate ligament is the most commonly damaged ligament. The ligament can reduce in strength over time or can be ruptured suddenly in an accident. When it ruptures the joint becomes unstable resulting in lameness which can be acute or chronic. Because the joint has become unstable it begins to wear the cartilage and bone leading to osteoarthritis.

​For most dogs surgery is recommended to re-stabilise the joint thereby reducing pain, slowing osteoarthritis and returning function to the leg.

There are two surgical techniques which we can perform at Barton Vets:

  • ​1. LATERAL SUTURE - a high tensile nylon loop is placed under tension on the outside of the joint. At the femur it is anchored around the ligament which attaches a small sesamoid bone to the end of the femur. At the tibia it is anchored through a small hole in the front of the bone. By internally 'splinting' the joint it allows natural fibrosis to occur around the joint and this replaces the support the cruciate ligament had been supplying.

  • 2. MMP-TTA (Modified Maquet Procedure - Tibial Tuberosity Advancement) - as can be seen in the pictures this technique involves making a cut in the top of the shin bone. A titanium foam wedge is used to lever the bone forwards thus redistributing the balance of the joint. As healing takes place bone actually infiltrates and grows amongst the titanium wedge giving great strength. This represents the best option for dogs of around 20kg and over.
 'Alfie' is an 8 year old Springer Spaniel who damaged the cruciate ligament of his right hind leg followed by that in his left, the subsequent year. Alfie had the MMP-TTA surgical method performed on both hindlegs (see radiographs). Unfortunately cruciate disease is often bilateral so Alfie's story is not so unusual.
Alfie has been such a brave patient throughout; he didn't quite understand the concept of rest, however his owners have been super vigilant at sticking to his rehabilitation and it is lovely to see him now back to his active self. 
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Taff Tu's HEART WARMING STORY


Taff Tu is a 7 year old male Border Collie who came to the clinic because he was not eating and was being violently sick. Taff Tu was admitted and initially received intravenous fluid therapy to correct the dehydration caused by the vomiting. X-rays were taken under general anaesthesia, which revealed an opaque, abnormal object in the abdomen. Given the location on the X-ray, a gastric foreign body was suspected. He was taken to surgery where a gastrotomy was performed to remove the offending object. The stomach wall was then stitched in 2 layers using an inverting suture pattern.

The object was smooth and heart shaped and it turns out it to have been a decorative pebble from his owner's plant pot. Taff Tu made a very rapid and full recovery and we were recently very pleased to see him for his routine vaccination check-up (although perhaps Taff-Tu was slightly less pleased to see us!).
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Taff Tu
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The pebble can be clearly seen in the stomach
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The pebble safely removed!