🔍 Key Findings Summary

• 5 juvenile dogs (mean age 7.2 months) with grade III–IV MPL were treated surgically.
• Most had femoral varus + external tibial torsion; some had shallow trochlear grooves.
• Distal femoral osteotomy was performed in 4/5 dogs; Tibial tuberosity transposition (TTT) in 3/5; Sulcoplasty in 2/5.
• Mean time to weight bearing: 9.8 ± 5.5 days; healing: 55 ± 24 days
• No reluxations, and final radiographic values for aLDFA and torsion were maintained at 1 year.
• One complication due to domestic trauma, not surgical failure.
• Early surgery appeared to preserve alignment and prevent deformity progression.

🔍 Key Findings

• TEA significantly increased the rima glottis area (RGA) from a mean of 0.52 cm³ to 0.78 cm³ (p < .0001)
• Mean RGA increased by 157%, equivalent to an 84% estimated decrease in airway resistance
• LEGS (laryngeal epiglottic-glottic seal) remained intact in all cadavers post-procedure, indicating maintained airway protection
• TEA was technically feasible in all 15 cadaveric dogs using a custom endoscopic gag port (EGP)
• TEA avoids cervical dissection, potentially reducing surgical trauma and risks compared to UAL (unilateral arytenoid lateralization)
• Compared to UAL, TEA showed slightly less RGA increase, but greater LEGS preservation, potentially reducing aspiration risk
• No cartilage was included in sutures; arytenopexy involved soft tissue fixation to pharyngeal wall across the piriform recess
• Cadaver model limitations include inability to assess functional outcomes like swallowing and respiratory motion impact

🔍 Key Findings

Objective: Validate a new 3D CT-based method for measuring tibial torsion in dogs with MPL, comparing it to a traditional method.

Sample: 40 tibiae from client-owned dogs with MPL (primarily small-breed).

Repeatability (intraobserver):

• New method: ICC = 0.99 → excellent agreement

Reproducibility (interobserver):

• New method: ICC = 0.83 → high agreement
• Traditional method: ICC = 0.52 → moderate agreement

Torsion angle measurements:

• New method avg: 16.00° ± 8.77
• Traditional method avg: 8.76° ± 4.92

Conclusion: The new method is more repeatable, reproducible, and provides higher torsion values than the traditional Aper method, especially reliable for small-breed dogs.

🔍 Key Findings

• Raised eyelets caused more suture mid-section failures than embedded eyelets, suggesting wear or cutting against the anchor.
• No significant effect of cyclic loading on failure load (Fmax) was found for any anchor group.
• Anika anchor showed the least reduction in suture strength relative to the reference (eyebolt screw), indicating a favorable design.
• All sutures failed via suture breakage, not anchor pullout, indicating suture fatigue was the primary failure mode.
• Sutures in raised eyelets more often failed at the mid-section, while those in embedded eyelets failed at the knot.
• IMEX and Jorvet anchors showed significantly reduced Fmax compared to eyebolt screws.
• Loading direction and anchor design likely affect wear and ultimate failure, particularly in dynamic in vivo conditions.
• Future designs should aim for embedded, smooth eyelets that can accommodate larger suture sizes without increasing wear.

🔍 Key Findings

• Cook system had good reliability across all cases (ICC = 0.848), even when complications, sequelae, and failure-to-cure were included.
• aCD system had excellent reliability when excluding sequelae/failure-to-cure cases (ICC = 0.975) but only moderate reliability when including them (ICC = 0.620).
• Majority of complications (60–63%) were graded as Grade 3 in the aCD system, corresponding to surgical or anesthetic intervention.
• Cook system classified most cases (78–81%) as major complications.
• Assessors had difficulty distinguishing sequelae from Grade 1 complications, and failure-to-cure from Grades 1–2, reducing aCD reliability.
• The aCD system offers more resolution (5 grades vs. 3) and less subjectivity through objective definitions.
• Novel terminology (e.g., sequelae, failure to cure) in the aCD system may hinder its uptake without proper training.
• Reclassifying expected events (e.g., swelling, bruising) as sequelae could significantly reduce reported complication rates in other studies.

🔍 Key Findings

• 11 dogs, 13 fractures (mostly Salter-Harris type I) were repaired with FGPP using Kirschner wires.
• 10/13 fractures achieved satisfactory healing with good limb function at ~43 days median follow-up.
• Major complications occurred in 5 dogs: intra-articular pin placement, implant migration (2), implant failure with nonunion, and malunion.
• 2 dogs presenting >15 days post-injury with radiographic remodeling were poor candidates → higher risk of nonunion/malunion.
• Preoperative displacement was mostly mild (10/13 fractures); these had better outcomes than chronic or severely displaced cases.
• Median surgical time: 60 minutes (range 45–75), all performed percutaneously without conversion to open.
• Elective pin removal was performed in 5 cases; migration occurred with both short and long cut wires.
• Femoral neck resorption (“apple-coring”) was rare (2/10 healed cases) and thought to be less frequent than after ORIF due to reduced vascular disruption.

🔍 Key Findings

• 3D-printed drill guides (3D-GDT) significantly reduced craniocaudal and dorsoventral drilling angle deviation compared to free-hand drilling technique (FHDT), with statistical significance (p < .0001 and p = .01 respectively).
• No sacral corridor breaches occurred with 3D-GDT, whereas FHDT resulted in 20% drill exit incidences (3/15 cases).
• 3D-GDT had lower deviation from optimal drill trajectory at end points in all axes: craniocaudal (1.84 ± 1.6 mm vs. 4.18 ± 2.4 mm), dorsoventral (1.11 ± 1.0 mm vs. 2.4 ± 1.5 mm), and 3D linear (2.47 ± 1.4 mm vs. 5.35 ± 2.2 mm), all statistically significant.
• Strong correlation (r = 0.77) between CT and 3D software measurements validated method reliability.
• 3D guide trajectories showed consistent proximity to the optimal trajectory, especially at drill endpoints, indicating reduced variability in execution.
• 3D-GDT was developed using open-source software and inexpensive materials, supporting future clinical application.
• Major errors in FHDT occurred primarily at the drill endpoint, underscoring the challenge of maintaining optimal angulation during free-hand drilling.
• The sacral corridor was recharacterized as pyramidal (not quadrilateral), with implications for safer implant placement.

🔍 Key Findings

• Modified preputial urethrostomy without penile amputation was successfully performed in 4 male dogs with urethral stenosis or trauma.
• The technique involved anastomosis of the pelvic urethra to the preputial mucosa via caudal celiotomy, avoiding perineal urethrostomy complications.
• No cases of skin scalding or stoma stenosis were reported during short- and long-term follow-up.
• Two dogs developed mild urinary incontinence, particularly when excited; one improved with phenylpropanolamine.
• The approach preserved local anatomy, avoiding penile amputation, osteotomies, and preputial dissection.
• Postoperative urinary catheterization was used to protect the anastomosis, although optimal duration remains debated.
• Surgical access via the linea alba minimized tension at the anastomosis site and avoided complications from paramedian approaches.
• This technique may serve as a viable alternative to prepubic urethrostomy, reducing urine-related skin complications and improving cosmetic outcome.

🔍 Key Findings

• Hybrid implants were used in older, heavier dogs with lower canal flare index (CFI) compared to cementless types.
• CFI <1.8 was associated with higher risk of femoral fracture or stem subsidence with cementless implants.
• Total complication rate was 14%, with catastrophic complications in only 1.5%—lower than reported in other studies.
• No significant difference in complication rates across implant types (BFX, BFX-C, hybrid).
• Femur fractures were rare (2.9%), lower than in prior studies, and successfully managed with cerclage/plate fixation.
• Coxofemoral luxation was the most common complication (8 cases); all occurred within 62 days post-op, mostly resolved with revision.
• Collared BFX stems did not significantly reduce complications, though they may limit stem subsidence.
• An implant selection algorithm was proposed, using age ≥7 years, weight ≥45 kg, and CFI <1.8 to guide cemented vs. cementless stem use.

🔍 Key Findings

• Two short screws (SLS or SPS) provided >2× peak load, yield load, and stiffness vs a single long screw (LLS) for SI joint stabilization.
• No mechanical advantage was seen between the two short screw types (lag vs positional).
• All short screws terminated lateral to the spinal canal, avoiding spinal impingement.
• Ventral sacral foraminal impingement occurred in 3 short-screw cases (1 SPS, 2 SLS), all involving the caudal screw.
• LLS group showed more abaxial displacement at osteotomy sites, suggesting inferior stabilization for concurrent pelvic fractures.
• Short screw constructs had longer total screw length (48 mm) than LLS (40 mm), contributing to increased stiffness.
• Positioning of caudal screw in a cranial/craniodorsal trajectory may help avoid nerve foraminal injury.
• No significant difference in displacement at peak load among groups; stiffness and load capacity were the primary benefits.