title: Comparison of healing of the osteotomy gap after tibial tuberosity advancement with and without use of an autogenous cancellous bone graft.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and compare healing, with and without the use of bone graft, of the gap created during tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study and case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs treated with TTA (n=67).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study: Mediolateral radiographic projections (6 weeks and 4 months) after TTA without use of bone graft (group I, n=14) were compared with radiographs of consecutive TTA in which the gap was filled with autologous cancellous bone graft (group II, n=14). Two scoring techniques (A, B) were used. Score A was used to grade the overall osteotomy healing (0=no healing, 4=healed osteotomy). Score B evaluated, independently of each other, healing in 3 sites: proximal to the cage (B1), between cage and plate (B2), and distal to the plate (B3).
  
  
  METHODS
  nongrafted TTA (4-25 weeks, n=39) were evaluated for healing (Score A). Data was analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA. Significance was set at P≤.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prospective study: Score A, B2, and B3 showed no difference in healing between groups at 6.8 weeks and 4.2 months. Score B1 revealed, in both rechecks, a significantly higher density in group II. case series: Radiographs at 11.59±5.99 weeks scored 3.3 (2-4). No healing related complications were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The osteotomy gap created during TTA healed within expected time regardless of bone graft use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Surgery, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. tguerrero@vetclinics.uzh.ch
authors.forename: Tomás G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.forename: Mariano A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Makara
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katiofsky
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fluckiger
authors.forename: Joe P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haessig
authors.forename: Pierre M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Montavon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D010865:Pilot Projects