As Dr Fitzpatrick unclipped her lead, a few anxious moments ensued before Mitzi took her first few strides, walking with a normal gait and confirming to all eyes watching that the operation had indeed been a huge success.
Commenting on the procedure, surgeon Dr Noel Fitzpatrick commented; “Today could have gone either way. There was always a risk that the exoprosthesis could actually break when Mitzi ran off her lead so this truly was a nail biting moment for me and for the design team as it could have failed spectacularly. What we’ve seen today is remarkable. Mitzi is walking with an entirely normal gait, with her foot moving exactly the way it should and today marks day one of Mitzi’s return to living life like a normal dog.”
He added; “Today of course has implications not only for animals but for human amputees in the future and I will continue to work closely with Professor Blunn and the Stanmore Implants team to advance this technology to improve the quality of life for animals and eventually, for humans.”
Professor Blunn commented; “Humans and other animals share a large number of degenerative musculo-skeletal conditions. The repair process of the musculoskeletal system is essentially the same whether in a dog, cat or human being. Reconstruction of the musculoskeletal system share common problems and the interchange of information between both veterinary and human orthopaedics is very important. Therefore treating animals is not only ethical in its own right but is a useful paradigm for human orthopaedics."
Talking Point
What do you think of Mitzi's proceedure?
Could Mitzi and her reaction pave the way to help humans?
