title: Surgical repair of a ruptured cranial cruciate ligament in a dromedary camel.
abstract: A 14-year-old dromedary camel was examined because of lameness of the left hind limb of 3.5 months'duration. The camel injured the stifle joint when it slipped while reclining into sternal recumbency. Radiography did not reveal major abnormalities that could account for the lameness, but nuclear scintigraphy revealed increased radionuclide uptake in the left stifle joint. Intra-articular injection of anesthetic further localized the injury to the area of the left stifle joints, and arthroscopy of that joint revealed rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament. Surgical repair of the ligament was attempted, using an autogenous graft obtained from the tensor fascia lata muscle. Outcome for the camel initially was considered good on the basis of a substantial improvement in attitude, apparent increase in comfort, and decrease in lameness. The tendency for the camel to remain in sternal recumbency after surgery increased the number and severity of postoperative complications. The camel was doing well 9 months after surgery; however, it was euthanatized 16 months after surgery because of a 4-month episode of lameness. Necropsy revealed chronic osteoarthritis and bilateral rupture of the cranial cruciate ligaments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Canada.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hurtig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D002162:Camelus / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000662:veterinary; D005206:Fascia Lata / Q000637:transplantation; D005260:Female; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000662:veterinary; D012421:Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D013264:Stifle / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000662:veterinary