title: Evaluation of vascular trauma after tibial plateau levelling osteotomy with or without gauze protection. A cadaveric angiographic study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the integrity of the cranial tibial artery after performing the tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) with or without soft tissue dissection and protection with gauze sponges.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental cadaveric study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten dogs weighing 28 to 35 kg.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten pairs of normal pelvic limbs were divided randomly into two groups in which a TPLO was performed with or without soft tissue protection with gauze sponges respectively. Angiography was used to evaluate the integrity of the cranial tibial artery after TPLO in each group. Contrast angiography was performed for each group: 1) before TPLO [Control]; 2) after TPLO [Osteotomy]; and 3) after intentional laceration of the cranial tibial artery [Arteriotomy]. A 'yes or no' was used to score contrast extravasation. The area of extravasated contrast was also calculated on the radiographs. A Mann-Whitney test and an ANOVA with repeated measures were completed to assess the score and the area, respectively, for each of the surgical treatments (Control, Osteotomy, and Arteriotomy) between the conditions of dissection with respect to the cranial tibial artery. A value of p <0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The differences between the two groups (with and without protection) for scores and areas of leakage were not significant (p >0.05). However, significant differences were noted between Control and Arteriotomy (p <0.01) and Osteotomy and Arteriotomy (p <0.01), but not between Control and Osteotomy (p >0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A TPLO without protection of the cranial tibial artery can be performed without increased risk of arterial trauma.
authors: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, PO Box 100126, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA. PozziA@ufl.edu
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Pozzi
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Samii
authors: M B
authors: MB
authors: Horodyski
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002102:Cadaver; D004285:Dogs / Q000293:injuries*; D013264:Stifle / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013977:Tibia / Q000601:surgery*