Systematic review of the prevalence, risk factors, diagnosis and management of meniscal injury in dogs: Part 2.
OBJECTIVE To systematically evaluate the evidence reporting the diagnosis and management of meniscal injury in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament failure. STUDY DESIGN Systematic literature review. MATERIALS AND METHODS Research questions relating to the accuracy of diagnostic techniques for meniscal injury and the effects of meniscal treatment were defined. An electronic database search of PubMed and CAB Abstracts was performed during March 2015. Data were extracted for study participants, design, intervention, outcome measures and results. Studies were evaluated using a validated instrument for assessing methodological quality and assigned a Quality Index score. A level of evidence was then assigned to each study. RESULTS Eighty nine studies were identified. The median Quality Index score was 14 out of a possible 26. Twenty seven studies were prospective case series, 31 retrospective case series, 16 animal research and 15 cadaveric studies. There were no class I or class II studies, 27 class III and 62 class IV studies. CONCLUSIONS Despite a large number of publications the quality of evidence was generally low. No one study or combination of studies provided high quality evidence to support one diagnostic or surgical intervention over another for meniscal injuries in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament failure.
The Journal of small animal practice