Outcome One Year after Acetabular Rim Extension Using a Customized Titanium Implant for Treating Hip Dysplasia in Dogs

• Published in: Animals (Basel) 2024-08, Vol.14 (16), p.2385
• Main Authors: Kwananocha, Irin, Magré, Joëll, Kamali, Amir, Verseijden, Femke, Willemsen, Koen, Ji, Yuntao, van der Wal, Bart C H, Sakkers, Ralph J B, Tryfonidou, Marianna A, Meij, Björn P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3D printed implant; acetabular rim extension; Anesthesia; Arthritis; Chronic pain; Clinical trials; Complications and side effects; CT imaging; customized implant; dog; Dogs; Dysplasia; Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; femoral head coverage; Hip dislocation; hip dysplasia; Hip joint; Homeopathy; Materia medica and therapeutics; Medical imaging; Methylene blue; Osteoarthritis; Questionnaires; Surgery; Surveys; Therapeutics; Titanium; Transplants & implants; Veterinary medicine
• ISSN: 2076-2615; 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani14162385

The acetabular rim extension (ACE-X) implant is a custom-made three-dimensionally printed titanium device designed for the treatment of canine hip dysplasia. In this study, 34 dogs (61 hips) underwent ACE-X implantation, and assessments were conducted using computed tomography, force plate analysis, Ortolani's test, and the Helsinki chronic pain index (HCPI) questionnaires at five intervals: the pre-operative day, the surgery day, and the 1.5-month, 3-month, and 12-month follow-ups. Statistically significant increases in femoral head coverage with a negative Ortolani subluxation test were observed immediately after surgery and persisted throughout the study. Osteoarthritis (OA) scores remained stable, but osteophyte size significantly increased between the surgery day and the 12-month follow-up, especially in hips with a baseline OA score of 2 compared to those with a score of 1. The force plate data showed no significant changes during the study. The HCPI demonstrated a significant decrease in pain score from pre-operative value to six-week follow-up and gradually decreased over time. Major complications were identified in six hips (9.8%) of four dogs. In conclusion, the ACE-X implant effectively increased femoral head coverage, eliminated subluxation, and provided long-term pain relief with minimal complications, benefiting over 90% of the study population. The study supports the ACE-X implant as a valuable alternative treatment for canine hip dysplasia.