Intercondylar fossa stenosis after joint stabilization using a fascial strip in dogs/ Estenose da fossa intercondilar apos estabilizacao articular com retalho de fascia lata em caes

Intercondylar fossa width indexes (IFWI) were determined in nine adult dogs submitted to intercondylar notchplasty (IN) after transection of the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) followed by a fascial strip stabilization. The right stifle was submitted to IN followed by fascial strip reconstruction of the CCL (GI) while in the left stifle IN was not performed (GC). Each group was then divided into three subgroups which corresponded to time of euthanasia at 30, 90 and 180 days after surgery. IFWI were determined, both macroscopically and radiographically, by measuring the cranial outlet of the intercondylar fossa in relation to the epicondylar width. A significant increase was observed in indexes of GI following IN, and these differed from indexes of GC throughout the evaluation period. It was concluded that articular repair using a fascia strip prevented stenosis of the intercondylar fossa, and that IN caused a permanent widening of it. Key words: intercondylar notch stenosis, intercondylar fossa, cranial cruciate ligament, dogs. Determinaram-se os indices de largura da fossa intercondilar (FI), apos transeccao do ligamento cruzado cranial em nove caes adultos submetidos a estabilizacao articular com retalho de fascia lata. Os joelhos foram alocados em dois grupos, sendo o joelho direito (GI) submetido a incisuroplastia troclear (ITR) e posterior estabilizacao articular, e o joelho esquerdo submetido somente a substituicao ligamentar (GC). Cada grupo foi dividido em tres subgrupos correspondentes aos momentos de eutanasia aos 30, 90 e 180 dias de pos-operatorio. Os indices de largura da FI foram determinados, macroscopica e radiograficamente, pela mensuracao da abertura cranial da FI nos tercos cranial, medio e caudal, e indexados em relacao a largura epicondilar. Observou-se aumento significativo dos indices macroscopicos e radiograficos nas articulacoes do GI, sendo estes estatisticamente diferentes daqueles das articulacoes de GC. Nao foi observada estenose intercondilar nos joelhos de GC apos a estabilizacao articular. Conclui-se que a estabilizacao articular com retalho de fascia lata preveniu a estenose da fossa intercondilar, e que a ITR promoveu o alargamento permanente dessa estrutura. Palavras-chave: estenose intercondilar, fossa intercondilar, ligamento cruzado cranial, caes.