Total Hip Replacement

A patient from Armenia undergoes total hip replacement. 

Jesse, a Golden Retriever, was brought to our clinic from Armenia for the second time, this time to undergo total hip arthroplasty, or total hip replacement (THR).

Jesse had significant difficulty moving independently. Several months earlier, Veterinarium’s Head Veterinarian, Dr. Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze, had diagnosed him with bilateral hip dysplasia. At the time, however, Jesse was facing another serious orthopaedic problem that needed to be addressed first.

Months earlier, Jesse had been diagnosed with a cranial cruciate ligament rupture in Armenia and underwent surgery there using the lateral suture technique. Unfortunately, he developed a postoperative infection accompanied by purulent discharge. It was highly likely that the initial surgery had resulted in iatrogenic damage to the lateral and medial collateral ligaments, the caudal cruciate ligament, and the menisci. Given the significant damage to the collateral ligaments, total knee replacement was not considered an appropriate option.

Jesse’s owner contacted Veterinarium and brought him from Armenia to Georgia in search of the best possible solution. This was how Jesse first came to Veterinarium.

At the recommendation of Veterinarium’s Head Veterinarian, Dr. Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze, Jesse underwent computed tomography to allow for precise surgical planning. Based on the CT findings, a patient-specific 3D implant was designed and manufactured, together with corresponding surgical guides, to achieve maximum surgical precision and the best possible outcome.

Jesse subsequently underwent knee arthrodesis, a complex and technically demanding procedure in which the joint is fixed in a functionally appropriate position and the bones are fused together.

Jesse’s first surgery at Veterinarium was performed by Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze. Anaesthesia was managed by Natia Robakidze, with Luka Ghlonti and Giorgi Loladze assisting the surgical team.

Following successful rehabilitation after his first surgery, it became possible to proceed to the next stage of Jesse’s treatment - total hip replacement. On 20 August, surgery was performed on his right hind limb, and Jesse underwent total hip replacement using the KYON Zurich Cementless Total Hip Replacement (Z-THR) system. This marked the first time this procedure had been performed in an animal in Georgia. 

The  Z-THR system is one of the most advanced prosthetic systems developed by the leading Swiss veterinary orthopaedic company KYON. It has significantly advanced the approach to total hip arthroplasty in dogs by providing strong primary implant fixation without the use of bone cement, followed by osseointegration and long-term stability.

The surgery was performed by Veterinarium’s Head Veterinarian, Dr. Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze, assisted by Belgian veterinary orthopaedic surgeon and KYON instructor Dr. Kris Camps, who travelled to Georgia specifically to assist with these procedures. The complex anaesthetic management throughout the several-hour procedure was provided by Veterinarium’s anaesthesiologist and cardiologist, Natia Robakidze. The surgical team was also assisted by Luka Ghlonti, a Master’s student at the School of Veterinary Medicine of the Agricultural University of Georgia.

Jesse is now back home in Armenia, and his rehabilitation is progressing successfully. The next stage of his treatment will be total replacement of the left hip using the KYON Zurich Cementless THR system.

The Veterinarium University Veterinary Clinic of the Agricultural University of Georgia has become the first veterinary facility in the region to offer total hip replacement for animals using the KYON cementless prosthetic system. 

The post features photographs taken at Veterinarium.