Malena the Amur tiger receives second hip surgery

Posted on 2 February 2021

Malena the 10-year-old female Amur tiger from Brookfields Zoo in Chicago underwent another hip surgery on January 30. Her first surgery, a full hip replacement, took place on January 27 to alleviate pain caused by severe arthritis.

Malena is an endangered Amur tiger, formally known as a Siberian tiger. Image: Cathy Bazzoni/Chicago Zoological Society

A few hours after her surgery, the fitted hip joint moved out of place, leaving doctors to make the decision to conduct a second operation.

‘We anticipate Malena will have better use and mobility of her leg than she did before surgery and most importantly, her hip will be free of pain,’ said Dr. Mike Adkesson, vice president of clinical medicine for the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo.

‘Saturday’s procedure, a femoral head and neck excision (FHNE), took just under two hours and was performed by the surgeon who conducted the original surgery last week, Dr. James Cook, DVM, Ph.D., the Allen Distinguished Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery, director of the Mizzou BioJoint Center at the University of Missouri,’ said the zoo in a statement. 

‘The original surgery on Malena was believed to be the first time a full hip replacement surgery with a custom, patient-designed implant was attempted on a tiger in North America. Veterinarians already had planned this secondary surgical option to relieve Malena’s discomfort in the event any complications arose with the implant. During the FHNE procedure, the arthritic head and neck of the femur (thighbone) were removed, allowing a fibrous joint to form and the leg muscles to provide stability to the joint. This procedure also alleviates arthritis pain and restores mobility,’ the statement continued.

Malena will be closely observed at the zoo’s Animal Hospital, where she will remain for one to two weeks.

After this her recovery will continue ‘behind the scenes’ at Big Cats. The zoo explained that the tigress is anemic due to blood loss from both surgeries. The veterinary team expects her to make a full recovery and regenerate red blood cells fast. She is also receiving pain medication to help her stay comfortable and relaxed.

The day after her surgery, Sunday January 31, Malena was moving around the Animal Hospital ward stalls. On Monday February 1 she began eating and drinking again.

Check out her surgery preparation here.

 






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