With the pet population reaching 15 million, one common concern for dog owners is a condition known as patellar luxation. The patella, or kneecap, is a round bone that enables dogs to bend and straighten their knees efficiently, much like a pulley.
Patellar luxation, a major health threat to dogs, occurs when the kneecap cannot glide properly within the femoral groove and becomes dislocated. This condition can affect dogs of any age, breed, or gender, but it is most commonly found in small breeds.
Patellar luxation can be categorized into two types: medial patellar luxation, where the kneecap dislocates inward, and lateral patellar luxation, where it dislocates outward. The main symptoms of this condition include limping and other signs of lameness. It prevents dogs from efficiently bending and straightening their knees and can cause arthritis due to the friction between the patella and the femoral groove, leading to pain.
Patellar luxation, classified into four stages, may not show pronounced clinical symptoms. If left untreated, it can progressively worsen from a young age, leading to chronic limping and walking difficulties. This could further damage the articular cartilage.
If patellar luxation is neglected, it can result in arthritis accompanied by cartilage damage. Since it is challenging to revert the damage to the cartilage, it is advisable not to delay treatment. Usually, surgery is performed from stage two onwards.
In cases where severe arthritis makes it difficult to properly shape the femoral groove where the patella glides, a partial knee replacement is performed to stabilize the patella immediately.
Partial knee replacement is a relatively easy and stable fixation method compared to total knee replacement. Coated with a special material, the artificial groove has a very low friction coefficient, allowing smooth joint movement. Moreover, it comes in various sizes, allowing for selecting a suitable size. It also promotes bone proliferation at the site of fusion with the femur, providing rapid graft stabilization and stable fixation.
Partial knee replacement can be applied if patellar luxation surgery fails and a revision surgery is needed if the femoral groove is damaged during groove plastic or if the degree of bone deformity is minimal, allowing the surgery to proceed without corrective surgery.
Thus, partial knee replacement can indicate surgery in various situations. When performed by a skilled surgeon with ample experience and know-how, it can yield high satisfaction rates.
Yoon Jang Won, the director of 24-hour Our (Wooridul) Animal Medical Center, advised, “The spring season, which is ideal for walks, is also when small dogs are particularly prone to patellar luxation. It is advisable to detect and treat it early through regular check-ups.”
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