What is a TPLO?
Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy
In a TPLO procedure, the tibial plateau, the portion of the tibia adjoining the stifle (knee joint), is cut and rotated so that its slope changes. This "controlled fracture" is held together with a stainless steel or Titanium plate which is screwed into the bone. This prevents the femur from sliding down the slope of the tibial plateau when the dog puts weight on its knee. This sliding (called cranial drawer), caused by the torn ligament no longer stabilizing the joint, leads to the pronounced pain and inflammation our patients feel prior to surgery. This surgery generally results in faster recovery times compared to other procedures to stabilization (Extracapsular repair and Tightrope Procedure).
This surgery was developed in the 1980s as a treatment for Cranial Cruciate Ligament tears. It has evolved since then, and continues to be one of the best treatments for torn CCL in dogs and even in rare cases cats!
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-Katelin Buchanan
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