Elbow Dysplasia in Dogs: A Biomechanic Modelling Proposal

Abstract

<p>Elbow dysplasia (ED) is a general term used to name a polygenic hereditary disease in dogs. Three bones are involved humerus, ulna and radius creating three articulations: humeroradial, humeroulnar, and radioulnar. Four processes characterize the disease, either independently or combined: I) fracture in the medial coronoid process; II) osteochondritis dissecans of the humerus condyle; III) ununited anconeal process; and IV) radius-ulna incongruence. To contribute to a better understanding of the disease, this work enquires whether the elbow joint functional mechanics is associated with the ED. To do so and using the I-DEAS 9.0 and ABAQUS 6.3 software that engineers use for calculating the effort distribution and delivery in grid structures a joint 3D model was designed based on computer-aided tomography. This way accurate information has been obtained about the distribution of the forces acting in the elbow articular surface, both when holding the animal weight loads and after a selective muscle action. This biomechanic model has enabled to find different associations between the ED injured areas and the articular regions making the greater mechanic efforts. Likewise, it allows focusing the radiological exploration of animals with potential DE and designing therapeutic habits for the trauma treatment. All this may be the starting point for studying other more complex epidemiological and biomechanic conditions</p>