TPLO Surgery Complications

Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) is a surgical procedure done on dogs that have torn their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the ligament that is most responsible for stabilizing the joint. In a normal dog's knee, the top of the tibia is sloped so that when weight is placed on the femur, it begins to slide off the tibia. The ACL prevents the femur from sliding. If it is torn, it can no longer do this. TPLO make the top of the tibia level so the femur no longer is sliding off of it. This surgery requires cutting into the tibia and rotating it and then securing it into place with a metal plate and screws. There are several complications that are possible with this surgery.

  1. Anesthesia

    • Using general anesthesia on a dog, just like with humans, carries risk. In rare instances, death has occurred. Veterinary surgeons use the same precautions with dogs that medical surgeons use with humans when placing a person under general anesthesia.

    Infection

    • There is always a risk of infection after surgery. However, the dog will be given antibiotics, and all efforts to keep everything sterile for the surgery should be followed by the surgeon. Infection can occur if the dog is allowed to lick the wound. This often is prevented by placing a large plastic collar around the dog's neck.

    Metal Plate And Screws

    • The screws have been known to become loose after TPLO surgery. This usually happens because the dog was allowed too much activity too soon after surgery. If the metal plate shifts too much because of loose screws, a second surgery might be needed to put the metal plate back where it belongs.

    Bone Healing

    • If a dog is too active after surgery, bone healing might be delayed. Also, a fracture in the tibia has been known to occur. If there is a fracture in the crest of the tibia, it will usually heal on its own. A fracture of the tibial plateau is extremely rare. This could happen if the dog falls on the injured knee. This would require a second surgery.

    Meniscus Tear

    • Tearing of the meniscus cartilage pad in the knee is a possible complication after TPLO. This would require a second surgery. This happens less frequently than the more traditional surgeries to repair the ACL.

    Bone Cancer

    • Bone cancer is a rare complication. It has been known to develop at the site of the metal plate and screws. These can be taken out once the knee has healed, but it is not known if removing them reduces the chances of the dog developing bone cancer.