Timing of and risk factors for deep surgical site infection requiring implant removal following canine tibial plateau leveling osteotomy

• Published in: Veterinary surgery Vol. 50; no. 5; pp. 999 - 1008
• Main Authors: McDougall, Renee A., Spector, Daniel I., Hart, Robert C., Dycus, David L., Erb, Hollis N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.07.2021; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Animal behavior; Biomedical materials; Bone implants; Demographics; Demography; Dogs; Infections; Infectious diseases; Leveling; Males; Osteotomy; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Surgery; Surgical site infections
• ISSN: 0161-3499; 1532-950X
• DOI: 10.1111/vsu.13634

Objective To identify demographic risk factors for deep surgical site infection (SSI) requiring tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) implant removal and time to implant removal. Animals Four hundred and thirty‐three dogs that underwent a TPLO (144 that developed a deep SSI and required implant removal, 289 that did not). Study Design Retrospective case–control study. Methods Records of dogs undergoing implant removal due to a deep SSI after TPLO between 2006 and 2018 at two referral centers were reviewed. These records were frequency‐matched by date to dogs undergoing TPLO that did not require implant removal. Multivariable analyses tested associations between demographics and implant removal as well as timing of implant removal. Results Deep SSI and implant removal occurred in 144 of 4813 (3.0%; 95% CI: 2.5, 3.5) dogs treated with TPLO. Implant removal was performed at a median of 279 days (range 49–2394 days) postoperatively. Male dogs (OR 1.8; 95% CI: 1.2, 2.7) and German Shepherd dogs (GSDs) (OR 7.4; 95% CI: 2.6, 20.5) were associated with plate removal. Earlier TPLO plate removal was associated with GSDs only (HR 2.4; 95% CI: 1.4, 4.1). Conclusion Implant removal due to SSI after TPLO was uncommon, although male dogs and GSDs seemed predisposed to this complication. Significance These demographic risk factors can be used to educate owners regarding perioperative management.