Arthroscopy of the Elbow in Dogs

Summary

The craniolateral portal of the elbow is described. The technique was applied and evaluated in 34 dogs (38 elbows). A detailed description and classification of the fragmented coronoid process (FCP) is given. All patients with FCP were treated successfully using a second craniomedial portal. Complications were not observed. The technique appears to be safe and reliable and could also be used for other procedures such as removal of loose bodies, treatment of osteochondritis dissecans of the medial condyle, reduction of selective humeral condylar fractures, excision of osteophytes and other diagnostic purposes. It also eliminates the need for exploratory arthrotomies of the elbow joint in dogs.

The cranial portals of the 38 elbows in 34 dogs allowed proper evaluation and treatment of the lesions of the medial coronoid process. A classification in 7 types of lesions of the medial coronoid process was established. All dogs were treated successfully by either removal of the FCP or by a proximal ulnar sliding osteotomy.

Keywords

Arthroscopy - elbow joint - dog - coronoid process

• REFERENCES

• 1 Boe S. Arthroscopy of the elbow: Diagnosis and extraction of loose bodies. Acta Orthop Scand 1986; 54: 637
• 2 Shaffer B, Parisien PS. Elbow arthroscopy. Surg Rounds Orthop 1989; 3: 113
• 3 Johnson LL. Diagnostic and Surgical Arthroscopy: The Knee and Other Joints. 2nd ed.. St Louis: Mosby; 1981: 129-36.
• 4 Andrews JR, Soffer SR. Elbow Arthroscopy. St Louis: Mosby; 1994: 1-11.
• 5 O' Driscoll SW. Morrey BF. Elbow arthroscopy. J Bone Joint Surg 1992; 74 A: 84
• 6 Poehling GG. Arthroscopy of the elbow. J Bone Joint Surg 1994; 75 A: 1265
• 7 Van Ryssen B, Van Bree H, Simsoens P. Elbow arthroscopy in clinically normal dogs. Am J Vet Res 1993; 1: 191
• 8 Van Ryssen B, Van Bree P. Elbow arthroscopy. ECVS proceedings. June 1995
• 9 Wind AP. Elbow dysplasia. In: Textbook of Small Animal Surgery. Slatter D. (ed) Philadelphia: Saunders; 1993: 1966-77.
• 10 Lewis DD, Parker RB, Hager DM. Fragmented coronoid process of the canine elbow. Comp Cont Educ 1989; 11: 703
• 11 Olsson SE. The early diagnosis of fragmented coronoid process and osteochondritis dissecans of the canine elbow joint. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 1983; 19: 616
• 12 Henry WB. Radiographic diagnosis and surgical management of fragmented medial coronoid process in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1984; 184: 799
• 13 Voorhout G, Hazewinkel AW. Radiographic evaluaton of the canine elbow joint with special reference to the medial humeral condyle and the medial coronoid process. Vet Radiol 1987; 28: 158
• 14 Miyabayashi T, Takiguchi M, Shrader SC, Biller DS. Radiographic anatomy of the medial coronoid process of dogs. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 1995; 31: 125
• 15 Fox SM, Roberts RE. Linear tomography in diagnosing fragmented coronoid processes in canine elbows. Comp Cont Educ 1987; 9: 60
• 16 Lowry JE, Carpenter LG, Park RD. Radiographic anatomy and technique for arthrography of the cubital joint in clinically normal dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1993; 203: 72
• 17 Carpenter LG, Schwartz PD, Lowry JE. Comparison of radiologic imaging techniques for the diagnosis of fragmented medial coronoid process of the canine elbow. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1993; 203: 78
• 18 Bradden TD, Stickle RL, Dejardin LM, Mostosky UV. The use of computed tomography in fragmented coronoid disease: A case report. VCOT 1994; 7: 40
• 19 Anderson WD, Anderson BG. Atlas of Canine Anatomy. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; 1994: 860-2.
• 20 Evans HE, Christensen GCMiller. Anatomy of the dog. 2nd ed.. Philadelphia: Saunders; 1979: 989
• 21 Bardet JF, Bureau S. Traitement de l'apophyse coronoide fragmentée par arthrotomie et ostéotomie ulnaire: étude rétrospective de 103 cas. Prat Med Chir 1996; 31: 451-63.
• 22 Olsson SE. Osteochondrosis in the dog. In: Current Veterinary Therapy. VI. Kirk RW. (ed). Philadelphia: Saunders; 1977: 880-6.
• 23 Gröndalen J. Arthrosis with special reference to the elbow joint of rapidly growing dogs. II. Occurrence, clinical and radiographic findings. Nord Vet Med 1979; 31: 69-75.
• 24 Gröndalen J. Arthrosis in the elbow joint of young rapidly growing dogs. II. Ununited medial coronoid process of the ulna and osteochondritis dissecans of the humeral condyle. Surgical procedure for correction and postoperative investigation. Nord Vet Med 1979; 31: 520-7.
• 25 Gröndalen J, Gröndalen T. Arthrosis in the elbow joint of young rapidly growing dogs. V. A pathoanatomical investigation. Nord Vet Med 1981; 33: 1-16.
• 26 Denny HR, Gibbs C. The surgical treatment of osteochondritis dissecans and ununited coronoid process in the canine elbow joint. J Small Anim Pract 1980; 21 (06) 323-31.
• 27 Tirgari M. Clinical, radiographical and pathological aspects of ununited medial coronoid process of the elbow joint in dogs. J Small Anim Pract 1980; 21 (11) 595-608.
• 28 Berzon JL, Quick CB. Fragmented coronoid process: Anatomical, clinical and radiographic considerations with case analysis. JAAHA 1980; 16 (02) 241-51.
• 29 Bennett D, Duff SRI, Kene RO. et al. Osteochondritis dissecans and fragmentation of the coronoid process in the elbow joint of the dog. Vet Rec 1981; 109 (05) 329-36.
• 30 Wind AP. Incidence and radiographic appearance of fragmented coronoid process. California Vet 1982; 6 (01) 19-25.
• 31 Wind AP, Packard ME. Elbow incongruity and developmental diseases in the dog: Part I. JAAHA 1986; 22 (06) 711-24.
• 32 Wind AP, Packard ME. Elbow incongruity and developmental diseases in the dog. Part II. JAAHA 1986; 22 (06) 725-30.
• 33 Fox SM, Bloomberg MS, Bright RM. Developmental anomalies of the canine elbow. JAAHA 1983; 19 (05) 605-15.
• 34 Goring RL, Bloomberg MS. Selected developmental abnormalities of the canine elbow: Radiographic evaluation and surgical management. Comp Con Educ Pract Vet 1983; 5 (03) 178-88.
• 35 Jarvinen M, Jozsa L. Effect of anterior cruciate reconstruction with patellar tendon or prosthetic ligament on the morphology of other ligaments of the knee joint. Clin Orthop Rel Res 1995; 311: 176