Patellar Luxation - Simple and Advanced [May 2026 | Houston Campus]

Medial patellar luxation (MPL) is a common orthopedic problem in dogs and cats. Successful treatment of these conditions requires accurate diagnosis and assessment. This course will provide up-to-date information on the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of patellar luxation.

Lectures and labs will emphasize techniques that can readily be performed in practice. The course includes surgical treatment of MPL using 3 different types of trochleoplasty, tibial tuberosity transposition, soft tissue balancing techniques and a discussion on when corrective osteotomy may be needed. Participants will also learn how to treat CrCL in patients having concomitant MPL using a novel extracapsular ligament system. Following lecture and case review, participants will perform all these different techniques on cadavers and plastic bone models. 

Learning Objectives

• Understand the mechanism of patellar luxation
• Learn diagnostic techniques to make surgical decisions and plan
• Learn basic surgical techniques for uncomplicated MPL be deepening the trochlear groove and aligning the quadriceps mechanism using a tibial tuberosity transposition
• Learn how to perform a medial retinacular release and a lateral imbrication to balance soft tissue tension on the patella.
• Learn how to perform a distal femoral osteotomy (DFO)
• Learn how to place an isometric lateral prosthetic ligament to treat concomitant MPL and CCL tears

Participants are encouraged to invite a technician/assistant to join them for the course. Develop your surgical team when you train alongside each other to perform new procedures. Technicians/Assistants must be registered for the same product as their respective veterinarian in order to attend the course.

Day 1

8:00 Welcome and introduction8:10 Understanding the mechanism of patellar luxation
8:35 Diagnostic steps for patellar luxation
9:00 Break
9:20 Decision-making for MPL – when and what to correct
9:40 Treating the shallow trochlear groove
10:15 Laboratory 1- Trochleoplasty – cadaver - Trochlear block (TBR) or wedge recession (TWR)
12:15 Lunch
1:00 Tibial Tuberosity Transposition
1:30 Soft tissue balancing
2:00 Laboratory 3- TTT – plastic bone and cadaver
3:30 Laboratory 4 – Release incision and imbrication - cadaver
4:30 End of Day

Day 2

8:00 Review of Radiographs from Day 1
8:30 Osteotomy for patellar luxation – When and How?
9:00 Break
9:15 MPL and concurrent CrCL tears – how to handle
10:00 Laboratory 5 – DFO – cadaver
12:30 Lunch
1:30 Laboratory 6 – Extracapsular CCL/MPL repair – cadaver
3:30 Complications
4:00 End of Course