Prospective Clinical Study of Biodegradable Poly-L-Lactide Implant as an Augmentation Device with Fascia Lata in Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair in the Dog: Early Results

Abstract

SummaryTwenty-seven dogs with cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture were treated with intra-articular reconstruction using a biodegradable poly-Llactide (PLLA) implant as an augmentation device, with a fascia lata graft in 12 dogs or with a fascia lata graft alone in 15 dogs. The clinical assessment was performed two, 12, and 24 weeks postoperatively. At 12 weeks the stability of the stifle joints was significantly better (p < 0.05) in the fascia lata-PLLA (FL-PLLA) group, compared to the fascia lata (FL) group, because the PLLA augmentation device gave additional support to the fascia lata graft in the early healing phase. At 24 weeks 11 dogs (92%) of the FL-PLLA group and 13 dogs (87%) of the FL group were free of lameness. Radiographically, degenerative changes defined as osteophyte formation were found preoperatively in 10 dogs in the FLPLLA group and 11 dogs in the FL group. The postoperative degenerative changes increased in four dogs in the FL-PLLA group and five dogs in the FL group at 12 weeks. At 24 weeks in two dogs in both groups the degenerative changes had advanced.A biodegradable poly-L-lactide (PLLA) augmentation device was used to reinforce a fascia lata graft in cranial cruciate ligament repair in 12 dogs and compared clinically and radio-graphically with a fascia lata replacement technique in 15 dogs. Clinically, at 12 weeks the stability of the stifle joints was significantly better (p <0.05) using the PLLA im-plant with the fascia lata. At 24 weeks significant differences were not found in the clinical nor radiographic outcome between the two groups.