Accuracy of needle arthroscopy for the diagnosis of medial meniscal tears in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture

Abstract

ObjectiveTo determine the accuracy of needle arthroscopy (NA) for the diagnosis of medial meniscal tears in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR).Study designProspective clinical trial.AnimalsTwenty‐six client‐owned dogs.MethodsDogs with CCLR and scheduled to undergo tibial plateau leveling osteotomy were recruited for the study. Needle arthroscopy was performed by an experienced surgeon; the same dog subsequently underwent standard arthroscopy (SA) by another experienced surgeon who was blinded to the NA findings. The SA arthroscopy findings were used as the gold standard. Arthroscopy time, visibility of the menisci, ability to probe the menisci, and the presence of meniscal tears were recorded for both arthroscopies. The degree of lameness before and after NA was subjectively quantified.ResultsThe sensitivity and specificity to diagnose medial meniscal tears with NA was 95% and 100%, respectively. Visibility of the menisci was lower (P < .01), probing of the lateral meniscus was harder (P = .0017), and procedure time was shorter (P = .073) with NA when compared to SA. The lameness scores did not differ before and after NA (P = .25).ConclusionNeedle arthroscopy could be performed rapidly with low morbidity, and had high accuracy for detecting medial meniscal tears in dogs with CCLR.Clinical significanceNeedle arthroscopy is a promising minimally invasive technique for diagnosing medial meniscal tears in dogs with CCLR.

Feasibility of feline coxofemoral arthroscopy using a supratrochanteric lateral portal: A cadaveric study

“…Surgical treatment of feline hip disease, if indicated, is typically performed using an open surgical approach. Arthroscopic surgery can offer multiple advantages over open surgery, including improved visualization of intra‐articular structures, 6–8 decreased surgical morbidity, and decreased postoperative pain 9–11 . The use of arthroscopy for diagnosis or treatment of intra‐articular pathology has been reported in feline elbow, 12 shoulder, 13 and stifle joints 14 but a technique for arthroscopic examination of the feline hip joint has yet to be described.…”

“…Needle scopes are small arthroscopes, typically between 1.0–1.9 mm in diameter are often more flexible than traditional arthroscopes and are often disposable (but can typically be reused multiple times in veterinary patients). Needle arthroscopy for evaluation of the canine stifle, 11 shoulder 23,24 and elbow 25 joints has been described but, to date, has not been described for cats.…”