abs: Lateral Arthroscopy Portals for Radial OCD
_{Small Animal Flash Poster Presentations}

The goal of this report is to describe a case of bilateral radial head osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) in a dog treated via lateral arthroscopy portals. A 6-month old female spayed English Bulldog was presented for a left thoracic limb lameness localized to the elbow. Computed tomography revealed bilaterally symmetrical mineralized fragments in the lateral compartment of the elbow joint and blunting of the medial coronoid processes. The fragments were associated with a thin donation bed along the caudolateral articular surface of the radial head with moderate surrounding subchondral bone sclerosis. Bilateral elbow arthroscopy was pursued. Arthroscopy was initiated via a standard medial approach, which allowed for abrasion arthroplasty of the radial incisure and medial coronoid process, but provided insufficient access to the radial head lesions. A lateral arthroscopic approach was subsequently performed and provided excellent access to the radial head for fragment retrieval and abrasion arthroplasty. Histopathology of the radial head fragments revealed mild cartilage degeneration and retention of cartilaginous cores within subchondral bone, consistent with OCD. Complete resolution of lameness and elbow pain were observed on clinical examination 5 months post-operatively. Radial head OCD can occur as a rare component of elbow dysplasia in growing dogs. Fragment retrieval and abrasion arthroplasty via lateral arthroscopic portals led to a successful outcome in this dog.