🔍 Key Findings

• Mediastinoscopy was technically feasible in large-breed canine cadavers using a SILS port and standard laparoscopic instruments.
• The left tracheobronchial lymph node (LTBLN) was successfully retrieved in all cadavers (7/7), while cranial mediastinal lymph nodes were retrieved in only 1/7.
• Postprocedural pleural gas was observed in 4/7 cadavers, likely due to CO₂ insufflation.
• Instrument limitations with a human-designed mediastinoscope led to preference for laparoscopic instruments and SILS port for improved access and visualization.
• Complication rates were low, with only two minor (Grade 1) adverse events (pleural tear and LN rupture).
• Obesity and mediastinal fat were cited as potential challenges to visualization and node retrieval.
• NASA-TLX workload scores were lowest for tracheobronchial nodes, indicating these were the easiest to access.
• The authors concluded this approach may facilitate minimally invasive biopsy or resection of cranial mediastinal masses in live dogs, but clinical trials are needed to validate safety and efficacy.

🔍 Key Findings

• Intra- and postoperative complications occurred only in stapled lobectomies, but the difference was not statistically significant (intra: p = .069, post: p = .112).
• Intraoperative hemorrhage was the most common complication (11.8%), followed by air leakage (2%).
• All self-ligating loop (SLL) lobectomies had zero complications (n=18), though the sample was small.
• Postoperative complications included 4 catastrophic events (cardiopulmonary arrest), all in stapled cases.
• Lung lobectomy technique was not associated with duration of chest tube use, hospitalization, or survival (p > .05).
• 94.3% of patients survived to discharge (82/87).
• SLLs are lower-cost and may be more feasible for thoracoscopic/minimally invasive approaches due to smaller port size (5mm vs. 12mm for staplers).
• A future superiority study would need ≥103 lobectomies per group to assess differences in complication rates.

🔍 Key Findings

• Only 1 of 12 dogs (8.3%) cultured the same single organism (Staphylococcus schleiferi) at TECA and dehiscence sites.
• In 58.3% (7/12), none of the bacteria from TECA cultures were found at dehiscence.
• Staphylococcus spp. were isolated in 83.3% of dehiscence samples.
• Methicillin resistance was high among Staphylococcus isolates: 80% at dehiscence.
• Antibiotic susceptibility differed in 57% (4/7) of cases where the same bacteria were cultured at both time points.
• TECA cultures were not predictive of bacteria at incisional dehiscence.
• 75% of dogs healed with either medical or surgical management.

Recommendation: Repeat cultures at dehiscence to guide antibiotic therapy.

🔍 Key Findings

• Left fourth intercostal thoracotomy allowed successful thoracic duct (TD) ligation in 9/10 canine cadavers.
• 10/13 clinical cases had a single TD branch at the left fourth intercostal space, indicating lower anatomical complexity.
• All TD branches at this site were lateral to the esophagus, simplifying surgical access.
• Unilateral subphrenic pericardiectomy was successfully performed via the same incision in 10/10 cadavers.
• Fewer TD branches at the fourth intercostal space than traditional caudal sites may reduce the risk of missed collaterals.
• In contrast, traditional caudal TD ligation sites had up to 5 branches, requiring broader dissection.
• No cadaver had right-sided TD branches, reducing surgical complexity at the studied location.
• Contrast-confirmed ligation was effective in 90% (9/10) cadavers on CT imaging.

🔍 Key Findings

Subject: 7-year-old Labrador underwent cementless total knee replacement (TKR) due to severe stifle OA.

Clinical function:

• Improved ROM from 90° pre-op to 120° post-op.
• Weight-bearing increased from toe-touching to 70% bodyweight by 6 weeks post-op.
• No visible lameness by 14 weeks.

Implant performance:

• No complications at any follow-up points.
• No osteolysis, loosening, or metallosis at 6-year necropsy.

Wear evaluation:

• Mild UHMWPE insert wear, localized to caudal edges.

Histologic findings:

• Robust osseointegration at implant-bone interface.
• Fibrous tissue only in areas lacking porous coating.

Conclusion:

• Cementless TKR demonstrated excellent 6-year survival and functional outcomes.
• Support for considering early surgical intervention in severe stifle OA.

🔍 Key Findings

• Routine follow-up radiographs after MPL surgery influenced management in only 3% of asymptomatic cases.
• Isolated radiographic abnormalities were rare (3.3%) and even less likely to alter treatment unless accompanied by clinical concerns.
• Dogs with both radiographic changes and clinical/owner concerns had 32× higher odds of a management change (OR 32.16, P < .001).
• Lameness, NSAID use, or prior unplanned visits significantly increased the odds of altered post-op plans.
• Owner-reported concerns alone led to a change in only 1.6% of cases without corroborating clinical findings.
• Radiographic follow-up was deemed unnecessary in dogs without owner concerns or abnormal physical findings.
• Hands-on clinical exam remains critical, though video-based rechecks may aid triage in uncomplicated cases.
• The study supports selective radiographic follow-up, reducing unnecessary imaging, stress, and clinician workload.

🔍 Key Findings

• No infections (0/102) occurred in cases where preclosure povidone-iodine lavage (PrePIL) was used, compared to 21/2111 (0.99%) with saline lavage.
• Break-even cost for PrePIL was calculated at $49.74, while the actual cost was only $2.07, confirming strong cost-effectiveness.
• No adverse reactions or healing complications were reported in the 102 PrePIL cases.
• The PrePIL protocol used 0.35% povidone-iodine for 3 minutes before closure, followed by sterile saline lavage.
• Majority of THRs (97%) used cementless fixation (BFX) in PrePIL group; only 3 cases used CFX components.
• Surgeries followed consistent perioperative antibiotic protocols, making PrePIL the only major protocol variable.
• Antibiotics were not added to lavage, aligning with WHO and CDC guidelines for antimicrobial stewardship.
• The infection reduction with PrePIL supports routine use in total hip replacement to reduce periprosthetic joint infections.

🔍 Key Findings

• Endoscopic-assisted retrograde catheterization (EARC) and laser sphincterotomy were successful in 18/18 cadavers, demonstrating technical feasibility.
• Intramural common bile duct (ICBD) length ranged from 10 to 21 mm (mean 15.8 mm), with no correlation to body weight (r = 0.06, p = .79).
• Transition from ICBD to extramural duct was accurately identified endoscopically in 88% (16/18); transition was heralded by separation of the submucosal layer.
• Partial lateral perforations occurred in 2/18 dogs, only during early learning phase; no leakage was found on open dissection.
• Laser sphincterotomy preserved the pancreatic duct orifice, aided by protective catheter positioning.
• Compared to open duodenotomy, this technique allows for a smaller incision and less manipulation of the pancreas, which may reduce morbidity.
• No adverse events such as intra-abdominal saline egress or full-thickness perforation occurred, and the technique allowed safe access up to 10 mm from the MDP.
• Cadaveric limitations included absence of biliary pathology and inability to evaluate live complications, but the technique shows promise for future live animal trials.

🔍 Key Findings

• Mitral valve plasty (MVP) in dogs with MMVD significantly reduced regurgitant volume and fraction, and normalized LA:Ao ratio, indicating reversal of volume overload.
• MVP altered mitral valve geometry, with reduced annular dimensions and increased coaptation length, enhancing valve competence.
• Postoperative LA:Ao ratio dropped from 2.2 to 1.2, consistent with improved left atrial pressure and size.
• Forward stroke volume index and cardiac index increased at 3 months, reflecting improved hemodynamic function despite reduced fractional shortening.
• Three dogs (3.9%) died postoperatively, highlighting a 96.1% survival rate within 3 months.
• The repair technique involved artificial chordal replacement and annuloplasty; no cleft closure or leaflet suturing was used.
• Color Doppler echocardiography confirmed substantial reduction in mitral regurgitation postoperatively in most dogs.

🔍 Key Findings

• The CORA-based cranial closing wedge ostectomy (CCWOCORA) consistently achieved the target postoperative TPA of 5° across all tibial morphologies.
• CCWOCORA produced significantly less variability in postoperative TPA compared to other methods (TPA range: 5.00–5.00°; p < .001).
• Mechanical axis advancement (MAA) was precisely controlled at 3° in CCWOCORA, leading to greater surgical predictability.
• Other techniques (e.g., CCWO_TPA, CCWO_TPA–5, CCWO_ISO) showed greater variance in TPA, MAA, and tibial length.
• In small-breed dogs, increasing the MAA from 3° to 5° did not affect TPA outcomes, but increased proximal bone stock, improving feasibility.
• Wedge angles and tibial length changes varied by method, but CCWOCORA maintained length better than TPA-based methods.
• The technique allows preoperative planning of both desired MAA and TPA, enhancing predictability and customization.
• CORA methodology enables precise geometric correction and alignment of mechanical axes, reducing reliance on trial-and-error alignment.