Objective

To compare the clinical outcome and complication rate for simultaneous bilateral surgical correction and unilateral surgical correction of medial patellar luxation (MPL) in dogs and cats.

Study Design

Retrospective case-control clinical study

Animals

Dogs (n = 42) and cats (n = 10)

Methods

Animals treated using simultaneous bilateral MPL repair between September 2006 and September 2010 were identified and case-matched by species, breed, MPL grade and surgical technique to control animals treated using unilateral MPL repair. Data collected included the presenting clinical features, including age, breed and sex; preoperative and postoperative radiographic findings; surgical technique; and short-and long-term clinical findings. Statistical analyses were performed to test the hypothesis that there would be no significant difference in clinical and radiographic outcome or complication rates between the study and control groups.

Results

Twenty-one dogs and 5 cats underwent bilateral simultaneous MPL repair. Accurate case matching between test and control groups was achieved, with the exception of 3 dogs from dissimilar breeds. There was no significant difference between groups in animal age, sex or weight. Complications occurred in 26.9% and 19.2% of animals in the bilateral and unilateral groups, respectively. There was no significant effect of surgical technique (unilateral versus bilateral), species, breed, and MPL grade on either outcome or complication rate, with the exception that large breed dogs had significantly greater lameness grades at the short-term follow up assessment.

Conclusion and Clinical Relevance

Bilateral medial patellar luxation can be surgically addressed simultaneously in small, medium and large breeds of dogs and cats, with a favorable complication rate and clinical outcome.