Does cranial cruciate ligament repair by tibial plateau leveling osteotomy surgery restore dog's natural kinematics? - A case series.

TPLO restores function but does not normalize hind limb gait kinematics in dogs.

This case series investigated whether tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO), a surgical technique for cranial cruciate ligament deficiency, restores normal hind limb kinematics in dogs. Eight adult dogs (4 French Bulldogs and 4 Pit Bull Terriers) were evaluated using three-dimensional motion capture analysis to assess hip, stifle, and tarsal joint movements during walking. The study compared angular motions including flexion-extension, abduction-adduction, and rotations between TPLO-treated limbs and control limbs. Results demonstrated significant kinematic differences between TPLO cases and controls across all three joints. Asymmetries between affected and unaffected limbs were noted, with variations up to 43° in some measurements. While dogs showed positive general daily activity performance post-operatively, the natural hind limb kinematics during gait were not fully restored. These findings suggest that although TPLO provides functional stabilization and improves clinical outcomes, it does not completely restore pre-injury kinematic patterns in affected limbs.

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