Case Study

ORTHO – Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture post-surgical repair in a 6 year old MN Shepherd mix

This 6 year old MN Shepherd mix had left CCL repair 1.5 years ago, now lame right hind. Positive cranial drawer, CTT.

DX

The ultrasonographic examination of the right stifle joint reveals mild to moderate chronic degenerative joint disease with synovialitis, effusion and osteoarthritis. Cranial cruciate ligament failure is identified

Image Interpretation

ultrasound of the right stifle –

A mild to moderate amount of osteophytes is seen at the periarticular margins. The femoropatellar joint cartilage presents mild irregularity at the most proximal extent of the femoral trochlea. The infrapatellar fat pad presents an irregular echo pattern. The cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) presents as a stump of echogenic fibres at the intercondylar eminence of the tibia. However, there is a trace of undulating but continuous fibres next to the stump.

Outcome

The findings suggest cranial cruciate ligament rupture. The continuous trace of fibres next to the fibre stump may represent an elongated part of the cranial or caudal cruciate ligament either. However, my impression is that this is rather a maintained but elongated part of the cranial cruciate ligament.