Methods for distracting, imaging, and evaluating hip joint laxity

A method for imaging a distracted coxofemoral joint of a patient having two hind legs, each hind leg having an upper thigh region and a stifle region, the method comprising the steps of:

• placing the patient in ventral recumbency;
• positioning a distractor between the upper thighs so that the distractor acts as a fulcrum for lateral displacement of the coxofemoral joint;
• applying inward pressure to the stifle regions to distract the coxofemoral joint;
• and
• imaging the distracted coxofemoral joint.

A method for imaging a coxofemoral joint of a patient having two hind legs, each hind leg having an upper thigh region and a stifle region, the method comprising the steps of:

• placing the patient in ventral recumbency;
• positioning a distractor between the upper thighs so that the distractor acts as a fulcrum for lateral displacement of the coxofemoral joint;
• applying inward pressure to the stifle regions to distract the coxofemoral joint;
• imaging the distracted coxofemoral joint;
• removing the distractor;
• urging the upper thighs of the hind legs together to compress the coxofemoral joint;
• and
• imaging the compressed coxofemoral joint.

A method for evaluating a likelihood of developing laxity of a coxofemoral joint of a patient having two hind legs, each hind leg having an upper thigh region and a stifle region, the coxofemoral joint of each hind leg comprising a cranial dorsal acetabular rim and a femoral head, the method comprising the steps of:

• placing the patient in ventral recumbency;
• positioning a distractor between the upper thighs of the hind legs so that the distractor is a fulcrum for displacing the femoral head laterally relative to the acetabular rim;
• applying inward pressure to the stifle regions to distract the coxofemoral joint;
• visualizing in the distracted coxofemoral joint the femoral head and the acetabular rim positioned in spaced apart relation to one another;
• removing the distractor;
• urging the upper thighs of the hind legs together to compress the coxofemoral joint;
• visualizing in the compressed coxofemoral joint the femoral head and the acetabular rim positioned in spaced apart relation to one another;
• determining a maximal distraction distance moved by the femoral head between compression and distraction, the maximal distance being determined relative to the acetabular rim;
• and
• correlating the maximal distraction distance to a predetermined threshold distraction distance associated with an increased risk for developing laxity of the coxofemoral joint, wherein when the maximal distraction distance is at least as great as the threshold distraction distance, the patient is at an increased risk for developing laxity of the coxofemoral joint.