Defining the Elements of Successful Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair
Gina Bertocci, PhD, University of Louisville
Update: Research Progress Report Summary Mid-Year 2, 6/30/2014
Update: Final summary Report 6/30/2015
Project Summary from the AKCCHF.org website:
“Cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) deficiency affects the canine stifle and is one of the most common orthopedic problems in dogs, having an economic impact of more than $1 billion in the US and a prevalence of 2.55% across all breeds of dogs. Some breeds have exceedingly high rates of CrCL deficiency, with Newfoundlands (8.9%), Rottweilers (8.3%), and Labrador Retrievers (5.8%) having the greatest prevalence of disease. Surgical intervention is the treatment of choice to stabilize the CrCL-deficient stifle, but no single surgical procedure has been shown to conclusively provide long-term joint stability and prevent the development of osteoarthritis.
Dr. Bertocci proposes to investigate commonly employed surgical procedures (tibial plateau leveling osteotomy, tibial tuberosity advancement and extra-capsular stabilization) using her previously developed canine pelvic limb 3D computer model to gain an improved understanding of stifle biomechanics following CrCL-deficient stifle stabilization. She and her research team will investigate parameters specific to each surgical procedure using their novel computer model to further our understanding of stifle stabilization. Furthermore, they will investigate anatomical characteristics (e.g. tibial plateau angle) to gain an improved understanding of their role in the efficacy of surgical intervention. The outcome of this study will be a biomechanical, evidence-based assessment of the currently used stifle stabilization surgical procedures.”
Publications:
Brown NP, Bertocci GE, Marcellin-Little DJ. Development of a canine stifle coputer model to evaluate cranial cruciate ligament deficiency. Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology 2013; 13(3): 1350043-1350071.
Brown NP, Bertocci GE, Marcellin-Little DJ. Evaluation of varying morphological parameters on the biomechanics of a cranial cruciate ligament-deficient or intact canine stifle joint with a computer simulation model. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 2014; 75(1): 26-33.
Brown NP, Bertocci GE, Marcellin-Little DJ. Canine stifle joint biomechanics associated with tibial plateau leveling osteotomy predicted by use of a computer model. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 2014; 75(7): 626-632.