Tightrope CCL is a veterinary orthopedic surgical method developed to provide a minimally invasive procedure

Minimally invasive procedure

There are three main categories which describe the invasiveness of surgical procedures. These are: non-invasive procedures, minimally invasive procedures, and invasive procedures ....

 for extracapsular stabilization of the canine cranial cruciate ligament-deficient stifle joint

Stifle joint

The stifle joint is a complex joint in the hind limbs of quadruped mammals such as the sheep, horse or dog. It is the equivalent joint to the human knee...

. The cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) stabilizes the dog knee much like the anterior cruciate ligament

Anterior cruciate ligament

The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...

 (ACL) does in humans.

There are several modalities currently being used in the treatment of cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) deficiency, which is a common and costly problem in dogs and sometimes cats. The Tightrope CCL technique utilizes a very strong suture material called FiberTape and isometric placement of small bone tunnels to provide bone-to-bone fixation while not causing the trauma of cutting through the bone of the tibia

Tibia

The tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....

 like a TPLO - tibial plateau leveling osteotomy

Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy

TPLO, or tibial-plateau-leveling osteotomy, is a surgery performed on dogs to stabilize the stifle joint after ruptures of the cranial cruciate ligament . Normally, the CrCL prevents backward–forward movement of the joint...

 or TTA - Tibial tuberosity advancement

Tibial tuberosity advancement

Tibial Tuberosity Advancement is an orthopedic procedure to repair deficient cranial cruciate ligaments in dogs. It has also been used in cats. This procedure was developed by Dr...

procedure. The objective of TightRope CCL is to counteract cranial tibial thrust, drawer, and internal rotation while providing optimal joint range of motion.

External links

Tightrope CCL Technique Guide http://www.arthrexvetsystems.com/en/products/upload/TightRope-CCL-Guide-VLT0004B-compressed.pdf

University of Missouri-Columbia: Technique Used In Human Ankle Injuries Modified To Treat Dogs' Knees. http://munews.missouri.edu/news-releases/2008/0616-cook-ccl.php June 2008

Tightrope CCL for treating canine cranial cruciate deficiency http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/Medicine/Tightrope-CCL-for-treating-canine-cranial-cruciate/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/616662

DVM360 Article: http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/Medicine/Tightrope-CCL-for-treating-canine-cranial-cruciate/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/616662?contextCategoryId=45699