Tightrope ACL

The most critical stabilizing structure in the canine knee is the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL). The primary function of the CCL is to prevent forward thrusting motion and inward rotation of the tibia white bearing weight (walking/running).

When the CCL is ruptured/torn this results in an unstable, painful knee and ultimately to degenerative arthritic changes in the knee joint which can be debilitating later in life.

We offer two types of procedures for repair of a ruptured canine ACL/CCL. For most sizes of dogs the procedure that is recommended is called Modified Maquet Procedure (MMP). For smaller canine patients, the mini-Tightrope repair will be recommended.

The TightRope CCL surgery counteracts the forward tibial thrust and inward rotation resulting from CCL damage, while providing optimal joint range of motion. This procedure mimics the natural cruciate ligament functions by providing stabilization from outside the joint.