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 FiberTape (made by Arthrex) is utilized.
Read More: Is Tightrope “Right” For My Dog?
The suture, in this case FiberTape, is placed in the dog’s knee through a few small incisions which creating channels through the bone. The idea is that once the suture is placed in a figure-8 type shape through the structures surrounding the knee, that it will be able to control any harmful motion of the joint and control the drawer sign. This will allow the joint to build up its own scar tissue and internal stablization system without the use of a cruciate ligament.
The FiberTape used in TR repair is not meant to be a permanent “fix”, and it will degrade over time.
Read More: How Tightrope Surgery is Performed
Because the main mechanism for healing in all Extracapsular techniques relies on the development of scar tissue, the recovery period is at least 8-12 weeks.
It is extremely important to limit your dog’s activity immediately following surgery for at least the first few weeks. This means only limited walks strictly for bathroom breaks, all of which should be done on-leash as to prevent any unwanted movement.
Regular, controlled exercises may be incorporated back into their routine as your veterinarian sees fit – usually at about 4 weeks.
Read More: Recovery From Tightrope Surgery
When compared to TPLO/TTA, TR surgery is a lot less complex and the materials used cost less. However, the cost of TightRope seems to vary greatly from clinic to clinic. This could be due to the TightRope and FiberTape materials being relatively new, and could also be related to the fact that there are not yet many veterinarians performing TightRopes on a regular basis. Based on a quote I personally received and contributors to Dog Knee Injury, the cost for TightRope ranges anywhere from $900-$5000+
The cost for any CCL depends on a number of factors:
Size of Your Dog – Smaller dogs require less – medications and supplies are calculated based on weight
Location – Veterinary hospitals and clinics within major cities tend to be more expensive than smaller vet offices
Type of Facility – Veterinary universities and smaller clinics typically charge less than orthopedic specialty clinics
What is Included – Are you paying ONLY for the surgery? Or are post-operative x-rays, hydrotherapy, visits and medications included?
Read More: How Much Is Tightrope Surgery?
All of the Extracapsular techniques, including Tightrope, are very similar in that they make use of a very strong suture material to provide stabilization. These (typically nylon or FiberTape in the case of Tightrope) sutures basically “buy time” for the knee joint to build up an appropriate amount of scar tissue to provide stability. The suture placed in your dog’s knee will break, and that’s ok, just so long as it has had enough time to allow healing to take place.