TRANSPOSITION OF THE SACROTUBEROUS LIGAMENT BY A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR THE TREATMENT OF COXOFEMORAL LUXATION IN DOGS

Kili� E, �zaydin I, Atalan G, and Baran

Purpose: to assess the technique of surgical transposition the sacrotuberous joint ligament to act as the ligamentum teres for the treatment of coxofemoral luxation in dogs. The ligamentum sacrotuberale was reached by incising the dorsal aspect of hip. The tip of the ligament associated with tuber ischii was cut and relased by a piece of bony tissue. Two small holes were drilled on this bone and 2 polyglactin-910 suture materials was passed through the each holes in order to form a guide. With the guide of a Kirschner wire, a threated hole was created both on the acetabulum and from the center of femoral head to the subtrochanteric region by a cannulated drill. A cortical screw was placed to the femur just beneath the tip of the subtrochanteric tunnel. The ligament was passed through the tunnels by a guided cerclage wire and tied up arround the screw by suture attached on the ligament and then the screw was tightened. Necessary postoperative management for each of dogs were carried out and radigraphic examinations were repeated at fifteen days intervals for three months. Postoperatively, the dogs were allowed to walk freely in kennels. It was observed that the dogs displayed no problem in walking after 3-4th week postoperatively.

Results: the ligament was successfully transposed into the femur to ensure survival, and coalescence was achieved between the bone at the end of the ligament and the bony tissue in the femoral tunnel.