Contribution of periarticular tissue to stabilization of the canine stifle joint after cranial cruciate ligament reconstruction

Summary Biomechanical analysis of the contribution of extracapsular tissues to the stability of normal and cranial cruciate ligament-deficient stifle joints was done using a five degree of freedom test apparatus which allowed quantification of tibial translation. In joints without periarticular tissue, the intracapsular graft technique used achieved joint stability similar to that of the normal cranial cruciate ligament. Our results indicate that the periarticular tissues did not significantly add to the post-operative stability of the stifle after intracapsular reconstruction.