What is a TPLO?
When dogs need surgery for a diseased cruciate ligament, a TPLO (Tibial plateau levelling osteotomy) is often recommended as the best option.
How does it work?
Rather than repairing or replacing a damaged ligament, a cut is made in the shin bone along part of a circle centred on the knee (1).
The top part of the shin bone is rotated around the circle to change the angle of the joint line (2), stabilising the knee without replacing the cruciate ligament.
It’s held in place by a bone plate and screws (3) until the bone heals, which usually takes around 6-8 weeks so some degree of confinement is usually recommended during this period.
Inside the joint are a pair of shock-absorbers called the menisci, which are also commonly injured. These don’t heal very well due to poor blood supply so the damaged piece usually needs to be removed.
Physiotherapy or rehab can be useful to help get back up to speed quickly. This can be as simple as a few at-home exercises which owners can do with their pets or involve some help from a rehab vet.
Complications are rare but include bone breakage, infection or slow recovery for a variety or reasons. A small number need further surgery but some patients just need a bit more time as it can take up to 6 months to hit peak function after a TPLO.
Whilst relatively simple in concept, each case is different and there are many factors that work in concert to achieve consistently good outcomes in the care of a knowledgeable, skilled and experienced surgical team.
What is a TPLO?
When dogs need surgery for a diseased cruciate ligament, a TPLO (Tibial plateau levelling osteotomy) is often recommended as the best option.
How does it work?
Rather than repairing or replacing a damaged ligament, a cut is made in the shin bone along part of a circle centred on the knee (1).
The top part of the shin bone is rotated around the circle to change the angle of the joint line (2), stabilising the knee without replacing the cruciate ligament.
It’s held in place by a bone plate and screws (3) until the bone heals, which usually takes around 6-8 weeks so some degree of confinement is usually recommended during this period.
Inside the joint are a pair of shock-absorbers called the menisci, which are also commonly injured. These don’t heal very well due to poor blood supply so the damaged piece usually needs to be removed.
Physiotherapy or rehab can be useful to help get back up to speed quickly. This can be as simple as a few at-home exercises which owners can do with their pets or involve some help from a rehab vet.
Complications are rare but include bone breakage, infection or slow recovery for a variety or reasons. A small number need further surgery but some cases just need a bit more time as it can take up to 6 months to hit peak function after a TPLO.
Whilst relatively simple in concept, each case is different and there are many factors that work in concert to achieve consistently good outcomes in the care of a knowledgeable, skilled and experienced surgical team.
