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Purpose
Tightrope Surgery is one type of Extracapsular or Lateral Suture Stablization (LSS) technique. In the Tightrope repair, instead of a “traditional” heavy suture material, a branded material called FiberWire (made by Arthrex) is utilized to stabilize the knee, mimic the ligamentous integrity of the knee and eliminate tibial Translation
Adressing the problem
The trouble with extracapsular repairs is that while they may mimic the injured ligament, they can’t offer the same concessions to mechanical integrity that the TPLO and its variants do. The knee is never as stable as with the TPLO, say TPLO proponents––unless, that is, we’re talking about a smaller dog (or cat). The TightRope device, marketed by surgical equipment manufacturer Arthrex, promises to make extracapsular repairs more stable, more minimally invasive and more foolproof.
TightRope, like other extracapsular repairs, does not limit the shearing forces that affect the unstable knee like the TPLO is designed to do. Therefore for larger breeds, it’s faulty by design.
TightRope, like other extracapsular repairs, does not limit the shearing forces that affect the unstable knee like the TPLO is designed to do. Therefore for larger breeds, it’s faulty by design.
How to fix it
Consisting of strong bone anchors and a super-strong, braided polyethylene band, the TightRope device has become so popular that it’s become synonymous with the procedure itself. Steps to compete the surgical procedure are found below:
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Other names
All other names for the procedure have the same outcome and serve the same purpose. The only difference between each procedure is the placement of the drill holes and FiberWire.
Fast tack |
Lateral Suture Stabilization (LSS) |
Cruciate |