[First clinical experiences with a new cementless knee endoprosthesis for the dog].

Objective: This paper reports on the clinical application and first experiences of a newly developed cementless knee endoprosthesis for dogs.

Material And Methods: The GenuSys knee-endoprosthesis was implanted in 23 knees of 22 dogs with severe gonarthritis and a history of pain. Their body weight ranged from 28 to 55 kg, their age between 5 and 12 years. This knee implant for dogs is a cementless "mobile bearing prosthesis". An additional fixation with one screw is necessary in the femoral component. Currently, there are four standard sizes of the prosthesis available.

Results: At the end of the study, 16 of 22 controlled patients (72.7%) were fully weightbearing on the operated limb or only showed a discreet lameness. We observed no complications in 12 cases (54.5%). In 10 cases problems in the course of healing were detected and made or would have made reoperation necessary. The complications noted were subluxation (n = 6, 27.3%), wound infection (n = 3, 13.6%) and a serious decrease in the range of motion (n = 1, 4.5%). Four of these 10 patients (40%) were subsequently healed through surgery. The remaining six dogs (27.3%) were euthanized or underwent arthrodesis of the leg.

Conclusion And Clinical Relevance: Sixteen of 22 dogs (72.2%) showed much better weightbearing and an increased quality of life after endoprosthesis of the knee. Although the complication rate was high, we expect better results in the future due to improvements in the equipment and surgical procedure. A definitive conclusion can only be made based on the results of a long-term study.