Georgia’s First Total Hip Replacement in an Animal

Zeke, a German Shepherd, is the companion dog of an American family living in Georgia. He was experiencing lameness in his left hind limb. Following an orthopaedic examination and evaluation of the radiographs, Veterinarium’s Head Veterinarian, Dr. Lasha Giorgi Japaridze, diagnosed Zeke with bilateral hip dysplasia and grade III lameness affecting the left hind limb.

To prevent the progression of lameness and restore full function to the affected limb, Zeke underwent total hip replacement using KYON’s Zurich Cementless Total Hip Replacement System. This was the first procedure of its kind to be performed in an animal in Georgia.

In addition, due to the high risk of periprosthetic fracture in this patient, the surgeons prophylactically applied a locking titanium plate to the femur to provide additional stabilisation. The purpose of this approach was to reduce the risk of a femoral fracture around the prosthesis both during and after surgery.

KYON Zurich Cementless Total Hip Replacement System. 

The KYON Zurich Cementless Total Hip Replacement System (Z THR) is one of the most functionally advanced prosthetic systems developed by KYON, a leading Swiss veterinary orthopaedic company. It has significantly transformed the established approach to total hip arthroplasty in dogs by providing secure primary implant fixation and long term stability without the use of bone cement.

The Veterinary Team. 

The procedure was performed by Veterinarium’s Head Veterinarian, Dr. Lasha Giorgi Japaridze. He was assisted by Belgian veterinary orthopaedic surgeon and KYON instructor Dr. Kris Camps, who travelled to Georgia specifically for these procedures.

Dr. Kris Camps received his veterinary education at Ghent University in Belgium, while the majority of his professional career has been associated with the Netherlands and Sweden. His particular professional interests include total hip replacement (THR), arthroscopy, TTA, TTA2 and TPLO procedures, limb deformity correction and arthrodesis.

With the support of the Kakha Bendukidze Knowledge Fund, Dr. Lasha Giorgi Japaridze successfully completed KYON’s international training programme in total hip replacement. His training included an international specialised course organised by Movora in the United States, as well as advanced practical training in Italy with one of KYON’s leading instructors and a distinguished veterinary orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Aldo Vezzoni.

The complex anaesthetic management, which lasted several hours, was expertly overseen by Veterinarium’s anaesthesiologist and cardiologist, Dr. Natia Robakidze. Based on the results of Zeke’s preanaesthetic laboratory tests and echocardiographic examination, she developed an individual anaesthetic protocol specifically for him.

The surgeons were also assisted by Mariam Kapanadze, a master’s student at the School of Veterinary Medicine of the Agricultural University of Georgia.

Zeke’s rehabilitation is progressing successfully. 

Veterinarium, the university veterinary clinic of the Agricultural University of Georgia, has become the first veterinary institution in the region to offer total hip replacement for animals using a cementless prosthetic system.

This post features photographs taken at Veterinarium and Zeke’s postoperative radiograph.