Patella luxation is a common orthopaedic problem in small animals yet has an unnecessarily high occurrence of complications and poor functional outcome. To maximise success and minimise complications in treatment requires three key skills; a sound understanding of the potential component causes for luxation, orthopaedic and radiographic case assessment and decision-making, and technical expertise in performing multi-component orthopaedic surgery.
This course is aimed at veterinary practitioners and veterinary residents with general orthopaedic experience, who want to develop and refine the requisite skills and confidence to successfully manage patella luxation cases.

This course is practical and highly relevant for small animal general practice, combining short interactive sessions with in-depth video-based case discussions and hands on practical sessions aimed at improving your knowledge, decision-making and surgical skills, and confidence in reliably managing patella luxation cases. The course assumes an intermediate level of clinical familiarity with general orthopaedic surgery and surgical approaches to the stifle joint.

Practical exercises:

  • Extended surgical approach to the stifle joint for performing trochleoplasty surgery
  • block or wedge trochleopasty
  • lateral fascial imbrication and partial or complete medial desmotomy
  • tibial tuberosity transposition with a partial osteotomy and fixation with K wires
  • tibial tuberosity transposition with a complete osteotomy and fixation with K wire and a tension band wire

Course learning objectives:

  • Be able to perform a discriminating orthopaedic examination to critically assess a case of patella luxation
  • Be able to quality assure radiographic studies that are suitable for decision-making on treatment options for correction of patella luxation
  • Interpret femoral and tibial radiographs and clinical information from orthopaedic examination to identify the component causes of luxation in an individual case
  • Use clinical and radiographic information to make appropriate decisions and surgical plans for patella luxation surgery
  • Be able to perform a block or a wedge trochleoplasty and understand their indications and comparative advantages and disadvantages
  • Make decisions on performing a lateral fascial imbrication and partial or complete medial desmotomy
  • Develop and refine skills in performing a tibial tuberosity transposition, particularly with regard to reliable pin placement and the indications for placement of a tension band wire
  • Understand the biomechanics of, and the comparative indications for, either a complete or partial osteotomy of the tibial tuberosity
  • Gain confidence in the assessment of and decision-making for managing patella luxation cases

Mark Glyde

BVSc (Hons) MACVSc MVS HDipUTL
Diplomate ECVS European, RCVS and Australian Recognised Specialist Surgeon

Mark is Associate Professor of Small Animal Surgery at Murdoch University and leads Murdoch’s orthopaedic and neurosurgery referral service.

Mark is a registered specialist surgeon with a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons, a master’s degree in veterinary surgery and is a Member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. Mark is well known internationally as a surgeon having presented courses in orthopaedics and arthroscopy as keynote speaker throughout USA, Europe, UK, Asia, Latin America and Australia for over 25 years.

Mark is an internationally recognised and awarded teacher with a passion for sharing his knowledge of orthopaedics. He is the Chair of the AOVET Education Commission, a member of the AOVET International Board and past Chair of AOVET Asia Pacific.

Mark has trained many specialist surgeons internationally through residency training programs at University of Liverpool, University College Dublin, and Murdoch University. His main research interests are in fracture repair and implant biomechanics, surgery for cruciate disease and patella luxation, joint loading and injuries in agility and working dogs.

Extra-Capsular Cruciate Repair Wet-Lab NSW (March 2024)