The lumbar spine is highly mobile whereas the sacrum is immobile, hence the LS junction is a transition zone and subsequent stress is placed on the joint and the LS intervertebral disc. Disc degeneration may arise leading to disc protrusion or tearing. Compression or impingement of nerves as they travel dorsal to a disc or exit the spinal cord at …

A machine capable of generating a column of radiation (photons) that can be targeted towards tumours. The radiation causes breaks in the tumour cells DNA and so when the tumour cells divide in two, the ‘instruction manual’ on how to split and then reassemble the new DNA is damaged, and so both new cells die. These are large machines, typically occupying …

Limb sparing surgery is a type of surgery performed to address bone or soft-tissue cancers occurring within the limbs of dogs and cats that are unsuitable for amputation of the affected limb. The most common condition treated with this surgery is canine osteosarcoma.

Fitzpatrick Referrals has pioneered the use of amputation prosthesis that allows the patient to retain a functional limb in the face of devastating injury. The most common injury treated with this surgery is major trauma of the distal limb. In these cases, we utilise a prosthesis that integrates with the bone and adheres to the skin allowing an exo-prosthesis to …

Patella luxates (dislocates) out of this normal groove. The consequence of this luxation is an inability to properly extend the knee joint. As well as the lameness caused by the mechanical deficiency of the affected knee, there are varying degrees of pain and osteoarthritis. In lateral patella luxation the patella moves to the outside, or lateral, aspect of the patella groove.

Non-invasive use of laser (light) energy to generate a healing response in damaged or dysfunctional tissue. Used for alleviation of pain, to reduce inflammation and accelerate recovery, and facilitate improved function and mobility.

A joint tap is the process of collecting a sample of the synovial fluid (joint fluid) that bathes the inside of joints. Synovial fluid analysis is most useful for differentiating normal or degenerative (i.e. osteoarthritic) joints from joints with inflammatory joint disease (septic and immune-mediated).

Juvenile pubic symphysiodesis (JPS) is a procedure that is used to treat hip dysplasia in the early stages of its disease process. The procedures involves disrupting a growth plate running down the centre of the pelvis. This causes the hip socket (acetebulum) to rotate and improve the contact with the ball of the femur.

Joint dislocation, or luxation occurs when bones in a joint become displaced or misaligned. It is often caused by a sudden impact to the joint. The ligaments always become damaged as a result of a dislocation. A subluxation is a partial dislocation.

Intraosseous Transcutaneous Amputation Prosthesis (ITAP) is a prosthesis used in cases of limb amputation to allow the attachment of an exoprosthesis that replaces the lost limb. The implant integrates with the bone using a substance called hydroxyapatite and a special coating allows the skin surrounding the implant to adhere to the surface of the metal.

Directly into a vein, usually in a limb and usually through a catheter e.g. intravenous injection of a drug straight into a vein.

Intra-arterial chemotherapy involves medications being delivered directly into an artery as close to a tumour as possible, to maximise the amount of chemotherapy delivered to the cancer cells and therefore possibly increase the effectiveness of our treatment. Traditional chemotherapy is administered through a catheter into a peripheral vein. This means the chemotherapy drug has to pass via the heart and lungs before …