An evaluation of two ‘Over the Top’ techniques for anterior cruciate ligament replacement in the dog

Two modifications of the ‘Over the Top’ (OTT) technique (Arnoczky et al., 1979) for anterior cruciate ligament replacement are evaluated in 112 cases. In 78 dogs (average weight 48 kg) part of the patellar tendon ligament complex was used as a graft to replace the ruptured ligament. The graft consisted of the middle third of the straight patellar ligament, the superficial layers of the patella, patellar tendon and fascia lata. In the other 34 dogs (average weight 30 kg) the lateral third of the straight patellar ligament and fascia lata were used as the graft. The average recovery time was 12 weeks with both techniques.