Extracapsular Cranial Cruciate Stabilisation
- One method of extracapsular stabilisation is by using a heavy nylon suture.
- Heavy nylon sutures can be placed in one of two ways. The first way is to use nylon swaged on to a needle. The second way is to pass the nylon through the eye of a fabella needle. The needle with the attached nylon is passed through a pre-drilled hole in the tibial crest. It is then passed around a fabella before both ends are inserted into a metal crimper, which creates a much smaller structure compared to a knot.
- The two ends of the nylon that have been passed through the metal crimping device are compressed with modified pliers to ensure adequate compression / tension.
- The picture series shows the implementation of the crimp and associated crimping forceps.
- This lateral technique act as a temporary stabiliser until the dog has produced enough fibrous tissue to provide long term joint stabilisation.