title: Incidence and type of meniscal injury and associated long-term clinical outcomes in dogs treated surgically for cranial cruciate ligament disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate factors related to meniscal pathology and their effect on clinical outcome in dogs treated for cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs (n = 163) with CCL disease (n = 223 stifles).
  
  
  METHODS
  CCL disease was treated by (1) arthroscopy and TightRope (TR) stabilization; (2) arthroscopy and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO); or (3) open arthrotomy and TPLO. Incidences of concurrent and subsequent meniscal tears, meniscal treatments, mid-(6 months) and long-(>1 year) term outcomes by owner assessment were compared among surgical treatment groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Concurrent meniscal tears were diagnosed in 83% of stifles assessed by arthroscopy and 44% of stifles assessed by arthrotomy, with concurrent tear diagnosis being 1.9 times more likely by arthroscopy than arthrotomy (P < .001). Incidence of diagnosis of subsequent meniscal tears was 6.7% with median time to diagnosis of 5.8 months. Differences in proportion of subsequent meniscal tears among treatment groups were not significant (P = .69). Subsequent meniscal tears were diagnosed in 21% of cases without concurrent meniscal tears, but only 1.3% of cases with concurrent meniscal tears (P < .001). Cases treated with meniscal release did not have subsequent meniscal tears, whereas dogs not treated with meniscal release had a subsequent meniscal tear rate of 11% (P = .0013). Cases diagnosed and treated for concurrent meniscal tears were 1.3 times more likely to have a successful long-term outcome (P = .007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCL surgical technique did not affect subsequent meniscal tear rate or mid-term or long-term functional outcomes, whereas diagnosis and treatment of concurrent meniscal tears did significantly affect both.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.
authors.forename: Meghan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ritzo
authors.forename: Brandon A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Ritzo
authors.forename: Adrienne D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Siddens
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Summerlott
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004285:Dogs / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000473:pathology*; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012421:Rupture / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D013264:Stifle / Q000601:surgery*