Background

The craniodorsal hip luxation always occurs in dogs, and comprises 80-95% of all hip luxations in small animals. Extracapsular techniques can be used to avoid the complications such as damage to the articular cartilage, infections, and implant failure.

Aim

To evaluate the extracapsular stabilization technique by suturing an absorbable suture between the neck of femur and the origin of the rectus femoris in the dogs with craniodorsal hip luxation.

Materials and Methods

The pilot study was performed 6 canine cadavers with 12 coxofemoral joints to investigate this extracapsular technique and the possibilities for the clinical applications. 25 dogs with traumatic craniodorsal hip luxation were included in our study. After the classical craniolateral approach to the hip joint and the open reduction technique was performed, the synthetic absorbable suture was applied to stabilize the hip joint by passing the suture through the femoral neck and the origin of the Rectus femoris muscle beyond the gluteal muscle group. Postoperative evaluations including lameness examination, radiographic examination and the laxity of the coxofemoral joint was performed every week for 4 weeks.

Results

The successful rate of the clinical trials was high (84%). 20 dogs returned to use the affected limb within 2 weeks without any complications. 3 dogs had re-luxated hip after first period injuries while the other 2 dogs had infection and the suture was removed.

Conclusion

This technique is simple, quick, and safe, and it can avoid many of the potential complications associated with other methods. Therefore, this technique should be the alternative method for the correction of craniodorsal coxofemoral luxation in dogs.