Locking Plate and Screw Fixation After Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy Reduces Postoperative Infection Rate in Dogs Over 50 kg

• Published in: Veterinary surgery 2015-01, Vol.44 (1), p.59-64
• Main Authors: Solano, Miguel A., Danielski, Alan, Kovach, Karla, Fitzpatrick, Noel, Farrell, Michael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Bone Plates - veterinary; Bone Screws - veterinary; Dogs - surgery; Female; Incidence; Male; Osteotomy - veterinary; Retrospective Studies; Surgical Wound Infection - drug therapy; Surgical Wound Infection - veterinary; Tibia - surgery
• ISSN: 0161-3499; 1532-950X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2014.12212.x

Objective To assess the influence of locking plate and screw implants on postoperative infection rate in dogs >50 kg undergoing tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). Study Design Retrospective case series. Animals Dogs >50 kg (n = 208) that had TPLO. Methods Medical records (January 2003–September 2011) were reviewed for dogs that had TPLO. Type of implant used (locking plate and screw fixation [LP] and dynamic compression plate and screw fixation [NLP]), use of postoperative antibiotics and presence of postoperative infection were recorded. Multivariate analysis was performed. Results Forty dogs (21.3%) had clinical signs compatible with postoperative infection. A positive microbiology swab was available in 16/40 cases (40%). Administration of postoperative antibiotics was associated with a lower incidence of infection (P = .006) and the use of NLP was associated with a higher incidence of infection (P = .01). Conclusions Use of LP construct and postoperative antibiotic therapy significantly decreased infection rate in dogs >50 kg that have TPLO.