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Guido is a two year old neutered male Domestic Long Hair kitty who decided to jump off the window ledge in the bathroom. Unfortunately, he got his right rear leg caught in the towel rack. He was presented to SCVH very lame in the right rear leg because he ruptured his anterior AND posterior cruciate ligaments AND his medial collateral ligament in his right knee joint. There was also a small piece of bone torn away where his posterior cruciate ligament was damaged. The medial meniscus (cartilage pad) was elevated but not torn.

The reconstructive surgery was a real challenge. All the sutures to be used for stabilizing the abnormal movements forward, backward, and to the side had to be pre-placed, then tied sequentially to accomplish both alignment and stability in all directions without pulling in one direction more than another. Four heavy nylon sutures were used. The medial collateral ligament was reattached with nylon suture, a screw and a plastic spiked washer. The meniscus was left intact. The entire interior reconstruction was protected with an external fixation device (pins through the skin into the bone on each side of the joint, connected with clamps and rods).

The external fixation device was removed three weeks after the surgery. Five weeks after the surgery Guido was using his leg regularly, still with a limp, and attempting jumps occasionally (YIKES!). The knee palpated stable, was well aligned radiographically.

The pictures are of Guido six weeks after the surgery. The the leg is comfortable and the injury and surgery have obviously NOT interfered with his appetite!