title: Tibial anatomy in normal small breed dogs including anisometry of various extracapsular stabilizing suture attachment sites.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate proximal tibial anatomy and its influence on anisometry of extracapsular stabilizing sutures in small dog breeds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mediolateral radiographs of the femora, stifles, and tibiae of 12 small breed dogs were acquired with the stifles positioned at various angles. Measurements taken included tibial plateau angle (TPA), diaphyseal: proximal tibial angle (DPA), patellar tendon angle (PTA), Z-angle, relative tibial tuberosity width (rTTW), and the distance between six combinations of two femoral and three tibial extra-capsular stabilizing suture (ECS) attachment sites. Theoretical strain through stifle range-of-motion was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TPA (32° ± 5.8°), DPA (10.2° ± 7.3°), PTA (103.7° ± 6.2°), and Z-angle (70.4° ± 9.0°) were positively correlated with one another (R >0.7), but none were correlated with rTTW (0.93 ± 0.10). The F2-T1 combination of ECS attachment sites had lowest strain for nine stifles. The shortest attachment site separation was at a stifle flexion of 50° for nine stifles. Proximal tibial anatomy measurements could not predict optimal attachment site combination, optimal stifle angle for suture placement, or ECS strain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is individual variation in the optimal attachment site combination and stifle angle for suture placement, which may influence consistency of outcomes with ECS.
authors.affiliation: Philip Georg Witte, Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists, 6 Forest Corner Farm, Hangersley, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 3JW, United Kingdom, Phone: +44 1425 485615, E-mail: phil.witte@scvetspecialists.co.uk.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Witte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013264:Stifle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D053441:Suture Anchors / Q000662:veterinary*; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D013977:Tibia / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Cranial cruciate ligament rupture; DPA; TPA; diaphyseal proximal tibial angle; extracapsular suture; isometry; tibial plateau angle