Comprehensive TPLO Course; Bedford Hills, NY

Welcome to our comprehensive Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) course, designed to equip veterinarians with the advanced skills and knowledge to acquire a foundation in this common and crucial orthopedic procedure. TPLO has become the gold standard for treating cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture in dogs, offering superior outcomes,improved long-term joint stability, decreased rates of downstream meniscal tears, and minimal progression of osteoarthritis.

Our course aims to provide a thorough understanding of the CCL disease process in dogs, and the principles, techniques, and surgical considerations for the TPLO procedure through a blend of pre-course work, theoretical learning, practical demonstrations, and most importantly, hands-on experience.

Pre course works is required in order to maximize time in the lab. Each attendee will have one sawbone and three cadaveric limbs. Your hands will learn as much as your mind will.

Led by ACVS board-certified veterinary surgeon, Dr. Tony Kahn, participants will be guided through the pathophysiology leading to CCL disease, the diagnosis of CCL incompetence, and will delve into the intricacies of TPLO surgery—from patient selection and preoperative planning, to surgical execution and postoperative management.

Throughout the course, attendees will:

1. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of

the stifle joint, the pathophysiology of CCL degradation, and the rationale behind TPLO as a surgical solution.

2. Learn the utility and limitations of various ways to diagnose CCL incompetence: physical exam, diagnostic imaging, arthroscopy, etc.

3. Learn how to surgically approach the stifle joint, and how to assess it for pathology.

4. Learn patient positioning, sterile prep and how to minimize SSIs

5. Come to understand the menisci: what they’re for, why they get damaged coincident with CCL disease, how to assess them, and how to treat tears.

6. Explore the surgical technique of the TPLO step-by-step, covering key aspects such as osteotomy planning, plate selection, implant placement, and intraoperative decision-making.

7. Review potential intra- and post-operative complications, and equip specific solutions to attain confidence and successful outcomes.

8. Understand the components of postoperative care, various rehabilitation options, and recommended follow-up to optimize patient recovery and function.

Attendees will achieve this through a combination of hands-on practical lab sessions using both anatomical models, and multiple cadaveric specimens. This allows for the repetition and refinement of surgical skills necessary to master a new technique, and all under expert guidance and tutelage.

Beyond simple lectures, the didactic portions of the course will allow attendees to participate in interactive discussions and case studies. By talking through case examples with the surgeon instructors, attendees will develop the critical thinking and problem-solving abilities necessary to manage TPLO cases effectively.

*Orthopedic experience required to attend this course (bone handling, fractures, and/or other CCL techniques)

Location:

Universal Imaging

299 Adams Street

Bedford Hills, NY 10507

Dates: November 15-16, 2025

Cost: $2,000

Instructor: Dr. S. Anthony Kahn, DACVS

Instructor Bio:

Dr. Tony Kahn is a Brooklyn-based, board-certified veterinary surgeon with more than 15 years of experience. He performs all types of surgery, including soft tissue, oncologic, orthopedic and neurosurgical procedures. He also received advanced training in minimally invasive surgery, including procedures performed via arthroscopy (joints), laparoscopy (abdomen) and thoracoscopy (chest).

Dr. Kahn is a highly versatile surgeon who has worked in a range of high-volume veterinary hospitals. Prior to starting his own mobile surgery and surgical consulting company, Dr. Kahn was a surgeon at the Veterinary Emergency and Referral Group (VERG) in Brooklyn NY, for 6 years, where he pioneered the minimally invasive surgery program. Prior to VERG, he practiced in specialty hospitals in Montreal and Manhattan. In every hospital where he has practiced, Dr. Kahn has taken a leadership role in the clinical training of colleagues and interns.

He completed his Residency in Surgery at the Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in New Jersey, as well as a General Medicine and Surgery internship at the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan and a Surgery Specialty internship at the Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Norwalk, CT.

Dr. Kahn received his doctoral degree in Veterinary Medicine in 2004 from Tufts University. He received Bachelor's degrees with High Thesis Honors in Biology and French Literature in 2000, also from Tufts University.

AGENDA

Day One:

1. Introductions

2. CCL disease: naturalpathology & how differs from people, relevant stifle anatomy (mostly intra-articular), biomechanics of drawer and thrust

• Demonstrations of cranial drawer and cranial tibial thrust tests

3. Arthrotomy, joint evaluation, meniscal evaluation & treatment, consequence of meniscectomy/release

LAB 1: Arthrotomy on cadaver limb

4. Introduction to Implants

• Anatomy of plates and screws, how they interact with one another and with

bone, how a plate can achieve osteotomy compression, locking vs. cortical

• Process of bone plate application

5. Description of TPLO/rationale

6. Efficacy of TPLO (+/- vs. other surgeries)

7. Surgical technique, devil in details

• Jig
• Blade size, selection, position
• Pin size (rotation and temp fixation) considerations
• Intra-op assessment prior to definitive fixation

LAB 2: TPLO on sawbones

LUNCH

8. Radiographs: positioning, evaluation, surgical templating

9. SSIs, patient prep, surgeon prep

LAB 3: TPLO on cadaver limb

Day Two:

1. Rad review from yesterday’s cases

2. Aftercare, analgesia

3. Potential complications

• Show ours!
• How to treat the more common ones

4. Review the devil’s details

LAB 4: TPLO on cadaver limb

LUNCH

LAB 5: TPLO on cadaver limb with a Patella Luxation Spacer

5. Case selection, what comes next

6. Rad review of today’s TPLOs

7. Q&A, send off