
Your Custom Quiz
In Almeida 2025 et al., on TPLO and partial CCL rupture, what impact did partial CCL rupture have on postoperative patellar ligament shortening?
🔍 Key Findings
- Transecting the CCL remnant during TPLO did not reduce patellar ligament thickening (PLT) at any measured point (proximal, mid, distal).
- Transection also failed to reduce postoperative patellar ligament shortening (PLL) at 6 weeks.
- Both groups (transected vs non-transected) showed significant thickening and shortening, with greatest PLT increase at the midpoint.
- Increased PLT was positively correlated with tibial plateau rotation (p = 0.02) and postoperative TPA (p = 0.04).
- No correlation between TT-O (tibial tuberosity width index) and PLT, suggesting narrow osteotomies did not influence PLT in this population.
- Partial CCL rupture was not significantly protective; dogs with partial tears still developed ligament thickening.
- Post-TPLO mid-patellar ligament thickening may relate to Gelpi retractor placement and osteotomy mechanics rather than CCL status.
- Authors do not recommend CCL transection during TPLO to prevent desmitis, citing possible increased instability and degeneration.
Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology
4
2025
Effect of Cranial Cruciate Ligament Transection during TPLO on Patellar Desmitis in Dogs with Partial Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture
2025-4-VCOT-almeida-5
In Low 2025 et al., on machine-learning outcomes in IVDE, which model achieved the highest predictive performance for ambulation recovery?
🔍 Key Findings
The study included 162 deep-pain-negative dogs undergoing decompressive surgery (hemilaminectomy) for acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE).
Ambulatory recovery occurred in 53.1% of dogs (86/162).
The best performing machine-learning model was XGBoost, with an AUC of 0.9502 and accuracy of 89.1%, outperforming Ridge, AdaBoost, and Naive Bayes models.
Preoperative-only XGBoost models were less accurate, with AUC dropping to 0.8271 and accuracy to 71.9%.
Top predictive features (by SHAP analysis) included:
- T2-weighted to L2 spinal cord signal ratio (lower values predicted better outcome)
- Use of fenestration (presence associated with better recovery)
- Hospitalization duration
- Imaging modality used
- Duration of nonambulatory status
Machine learning provided better insight into prognostic factors than traditional statistical methods.
Veterinary Surgery
4
2025
Machine-learning-based prediction of functional recovery in deep-pain-negative dogs after decompressive thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy for acute intervertebral disc extrusion
2025-4-VS-low-2
In Townsend 2024 et al., on 3D osteotomy accuracy, what percentage of PSG osteotomies were within 5° of the target?
🔍 Key Findings:
- Design: Ex vivo study with 24 paired limbs from normal beagle dogs.
- Osteotomy types (3 groups):
- 30° uniplanar frontal wedge
- Oblique (30° frontal, 15° sagittal)
- Single oblique (30° frontal, 15° sagittal, 30° external rotation)
- Comparison: 3D PSG vs Freehand (FH)
- Main Outcomes:
- PSG accuracy: Mean angular deviation = 2.8° vs 6.4° in FH (p < .001).
- 84% of PSG osteotomies were within 5° of target vs 50% of FH.
- Significant improvements with PSG in:
- Group 1 (uniplanar frontal) proximal and distal frontal planes (p < .001, .006)
- Group 3 (SOO) frontal and sagittal planes (p = .002, .043)
- Time: PSG faster in complex SOO group (84s vs 162s, p < .001); no difference in others.
- No difference in osteotomy location (mm) between methods.
- Clinical relevance: PSG more consistent and accurate, especially for complex cuts.
Veterinary Surgery
2
2024
Comparison of three-dimensional printed patient-specific guides versus freehand approach for radial osteotomies in normal dogs: Ex vivo model
2024-2-VS-townsend-2
In Rigo 2026 et al., on feline pedicle screws, what percentage of drilled tunnels were completely contained within the pedicle (grade 0)?
🔍 Key Findings
- Pedicle screw placement in feline thoracolumbar vertebrae using patient-specific 3D-printed drill guides was highly accurate, with a mean deviation from planned trajectory of 0.61° ± 0.72.
- Overall pedicle containment rate was 93% (grade 0), with only 5.5% minor breaches (<0.5 mm) and 1.5% moderate breaches (0.5–1 mm).
- Thoracic vertebrae demonstrated perfect safety (48/48 grade 0), whereas all breaches occurred in the lumbar vertebrae (p = 0.02).
- All pedicle breaches were lateral, and no medial breaches or spinal canal violations occurred in the study.
- Accuracy did not differ between breeds (Maine Coon vs mixed-breed) or sides (left vs right), suggesting consistent guide performance across anatomical variations.
- 3D-printed drill guides allowed minimal surgical exposure, requiring access only to the dorsal lamina rather than lateral vertebral surfaces.
- Pedicle screw constructs may facilitate dorsal PMMA application, enabling easier cement placement and bilateral incorporation of screw heads.
- A clinical proof-of-concept case (T12 fracture) treated with pedicle screws and dorsal PMMA stabilization showed accurate implant placement without perioperative complications.
Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology
2
2026
Feasibility and Accuracy of Pedicle Screws in the Feline Thoracolumbar Spine
2026-2-vcot-rigo-2
In Wood 2024 et al., on knot security and locking throws, how did the failure mode differ between locking and non-locking constructs?
🔍 Key Findings
- Adding a single locking throw significantly increased holding security for specific knots, including the surgeon's throw (p = .0001) and square throw (p = .0002).
- For the Miller's throw (p = .166) and strangle throw (p = .808), no significant improvement was observed with a locking throw.
- After locking throw addition, all five knots leaked at similar pressures (p = .5233), and these pressures exceeded physiologic arterial pressures.
- Surgeon's throw without a locking throw had the lowest leak pressure (62.5 ± 46.2 mm Hg), below physiologic arterial values.
- The square throw without locking also leaked below physiologic pressures (148.7 ± 109.4 mm Hg), though it outperformed the surgeon's throw.
- Miller’s and strangle throws performed significantly better than square or surgeon’s throws without locking, achieving leak pressures >200 mm Hg.
- All knots used 2-0 polyglyconate monofilament (Maxon); no comparisons across suture types or sizes were performed.
- Authors concluded that correct tensioning and locking throw addition are key to safe vascular ligation. Miller’s, strangle, or slip knots are preferred for challenging surgical fields.
Veterinary Surgery
4
2024
Influence of a single locking throw on the in vitro holding security of five friction knots using two monofilament suture materials in a canine model
2024-4-VS-wood-2
In Banks 2024 et al., on CCWO technique, what was the observed effect of **osteotomy distalization >7.5 mm**?
🔍 Key Findings
- Oxley's modified CCWO did not achieve the target TPA of 5° in most cases, even with planning.
- Mean planned TPA was 7.6°, higher than target, and consistent across dog sizes.
- Postoperative TPAs were significantly higher in small dogs (median 7°) than in large dogs (median 4.5°).
- Distalization >7.5 mm of the osteotomy from the patellar tendon led to increased under-correction of TPA.
- Only dogs with preoperative TPA >35° achieved post-planning TPAs close to the 5° target.
- Postoperative osteotomy positions were generally more distal than recommended (8.6 mm median).
- Virtual plate fit was appropriate for all dogs at 5 mm or 7.5 mm positions, suggesting no need for excessive distalization.
- Excessive correction leading to negative TPAs occurred in some cases, risking caudal cruciate ligament strain.
Veterinary Surgery
8
2024
A mismatch of planning and achieved tibial plateau angle in cranial closing wedge surgery: An in silico and clinical evaluation of 100 cases
2024-8-VS-banks-3
In Jourdain 2024 et al., on fluoroscopic fixation of feline SIL, what was the long-term owner-reported satisfaction outcome?
🔍 Key Findings
- Minimally invasive fluoroscopic technique yielded median reduction of 94.1% immediately postoperative.
- Screw purchase ≥60% in sacral body achieved in 82% of cases, with median purchase of 73.3%.
- One screw exited caudally; no dorsal, ventral, or cranial exits reported.
- At 7-week follow-up, reduction and purchase slightly declined but remained effective (p = .008 and p = .013).
- No screw loosening observed, even in suboptimal reductions or purchases.
- Pelvic canal width and symmetry (PCDR and HCWR) were restored and maintained.
- Excellent long-term function: FMPI ≥0.98 in 9 of 10 cats; owners reported 10/10 satisfaction.
- Fluoroscopy enabled accurate screw placement and minimized tissue trauma, contributing to rapid recovery.
Veterinary Surgery
4
2024
Fluoroscopically-assisted closed reduction and percutaneous fixation of sacroiliac luxations in cats using 2.4 mm headless cannulated compression screws: Description, evaluation and clinical outcome
2024-4-VS-jourdain-5
In Barrett 2026 et al., on scapula plating biomechanics, what is a key clinical implication of double plate fixation?
🔍 Key Findings
- Double plate fixation significantly increased construct stiffness (563.7 vs 392.8 N/mm; p < .0001), supporting superior biomechanical stability
- Displacement was significantly reduced with double plating (−0.48 mm vs −0.81 mm; p < .0001), indicating improved resistance to cyclic loading
- No difference in primary plate strain between single and double constructs, suggesting load-sharing did not reduce plate stress
- Caudolateral placement of the second plate enhances biomechanical advantage by increasing moment arm and resisting tensile forces
- Cyclic loading model (7200 cycles) simulated 1 hour of walking, making findings clinically relevant to early postoperative activity
- Strain across fracture gap was lower in double plate constructs (~4.3% vs ~6.9%), supporting improved conditions for fracture healing
- No construct failures occurred, but actuator slippage occurred only in double plate group, highlighting potential testing/artifact considerations
- Clinical implication: double plating may allow earlier weightbearing and reduce need for external coaptation, improving recovery outcomes
Veterinary Surgery
3
2026
Double plate fixation improves stiffness in a comminuted canine scapula fracture gap model compared to single plate fixation
2026-3-vs-barrett-5
In Burkhardt 2024 et al., on coagulation testing in liver lobectomy, which liver tumor type was significantly associated with both PT and aPTT prolongation?
🔍 Key Findings
- 20.6% of dogs had a preoperative prolongation in PT or aPTT, but only 5.6% had both prolonged.
- Hemangiosarcoma was the only tumor type significantly associated with both PT and aPTT prolongation (37.5% of hemangiosarcoma cases, p < .001).
- Dogs with both PT and aPTT prolongations were 6.5× more likely to have emergency surgery (p < .001) and 2.5× more likely to have hemoabdomen (p = .0022).
- 60% of dogs with both PT and aPTT prolongation required blood transfusion (p < .001).
- Only 1.9% of all dogs had both PT and aPTT prolonged by >25%, suggesting limited clinical utility of routine PT/aPTT testing.
- Platelet count <50,000/μL was rare (1.5%) and not associated with PT/aPTT changes or transfusions.
- Routine PT/aPTT testing offers low diagnostic yield in elective liver lobectomy cases.
- Authors recommend case-by-case PT/aPTT screening, especially when hemangiosarcoma or bleeding tendencies are suspected.
Veterinary Surgery
7
2024
Evaluating preoperative coagulation panels in dogs undergoing liver lobectomy for primary liver tumors: A multi-institutional retrospective study
2024-7-VS-burkhardt-2
In Chik 2025 et al., on abdominal wall prestretching, what was the observed effect on working space when PS was applied at 10 mmHg for 3 minutes and then reduced to 6 mmHg IAP?
🔍 Key Findings
- Prestretching (PS) at 10 mmHg for 3 minutes significantly increased working space at 6 mmHg IAP — IWL +4.4%, IWS +6.9%.
- PS provided ≈63% of the IWL and ≈66% of the IWS gains achieved with sustained 10 mmHg IAP.
- All laparoscopic procedures were completed at 6 mmHg after PS; no conversions or pressure increases were needed.
- Working space benefits persisted throughout surgery — end-of-procedure measurements were unchanged from post-PS baseline.
- Transverse expansion (RLAT/LLAT) was greater than sagittal (CRA/CAU), consistent with adult abdominal wall compliance.
- No adverse anesthetic events occurred; mild complications (e.g., gas leakage) were easily managed.
- Large breed dogs were overrepresented, but all dogs served as their own controls, normalizing size effects.
- Prestretching is a simple, effective technique to maximize working space without increasing insufflation pressure.
Veterinary Surgery
5
2025
Prestretching increases working space at the same insufflation pressure in dogs undergoing laparoscopic procedures
2025-5-VS-chik-1
Quiz Results
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