🔍 Key Findings

80 toy breed dogs with surgically repaired transverse radius/ulna fractures were analyzed.
Fracture gap in the caudal cortex was present in 46% of cases.
Implant failure rate:

• 27% in cases with fracture gap
• 2% in cases without fracture gap

Fracture gap significantly associated with implant failure:

• OR = 23.0, 95% CI: 2.7–197.9, p = 0.004

Absence of external coaptation also associated with increased implant failure risk:

• OR = 10.1, 95% CI: 1.1–89.6, p = 0.04

Prolonged external coaptation (>1 week) linked to non-implant complications (skin wounds, osteopenia, osteomyelitis):

• OR = 5.4, p = 0.04

Plate thickness, type, open screw holes, and working length were not statistically significant predictors of implant failure after multivariable analysis.

🔍 Key Findings

• 3D-printed TPLO guides significantly reduced osteotomy inclination angle in both bone models and cadaver limbs compared to jig alone (P < .001).
• Torsional deformities were lower when the 3D-printed guide was used in bone models (P < .001), but not significantly different in cadavers.
• Angular deformities were significantly reduced in cadavers using 3D-printed guides (P < .001).
• Proximal jig pin angulation was more accurate with the guide in cadavers (P < .001); not significant in bone models.
• Medial cortex damage was substantially reduced in bone models when the 3D-printed guide was used (P < .001).
• Postoperative tibial plateau angle (TPA) did not differ significantly between groups, suggesting that clinical alignment can still be achieved without the guide.
• Clinical significance of improved metrics is uncertain, but improved precision may reduce surgical complications.
• 3D guide design allowed direct placement of jig and bone plate, potentially improving workflow and safety.

🔍 Key Findings

• Postoperative complications occurred in 20% of stifles, including 7.5% minor, 10.3% surgical, and 3.4% medical complications.
• The PROSPECT machine-learning model achieved high predictive accuracy: 92.3% for surgical complications, 91.9% for minor, and 94.3% for medical.
• Top predictive features included surgical technique, implant type, patient age, and surgeon identity.
• Surgeon-specific variables influenced predictions, indicating operator experience and technique matter.
• Engineered interaction features (e.g., breed × implant) were more predictive than raw clinical data alone.
• Rottweiler, intact male status, and higher bodyweight were associated with increased complication risk; Labradors had decreased risk.
• Model calibration was strong, especially for high and low probability predictions; midrange predictions were less reliable.
• The model supports individualized, probabilistic risk assessment, which could inform client counseling and tailored postoperative care.

PROSPECT = Predicting Risk Of Surgical compli­cations aftEr CCWO and TPLO

🔍 Key Findings

• Low-trauma events caused 82.9% of CvHL cases; Poodles and poodle-crosses represented 49.4% of cases.
• Success rate of hobbles (61.8%) was significantly higher than closed reduction alone (10.3%) or Ehmer sling (18.5%).
• Multivariate analysis found hobbles 7.62x more likely to succeed vs. closed reduction (p = .001).
• Specialist surgeons had higher success with nonsurgical management (OR: 2.68; p = .047).
• Older age associated with better outcomes (OR: 1.15 per year; p < .0005).
• Ehmer sling is not recommended due to high failure and complication rates (60.6%).
• Toggle rod stabilization had a high surgical success rate (88.2%) with low complication.
• No link was found between CvHL and hip dysplasia or OA in most cases (only 2/108 showed OA).

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• Used VMBDmD to quantify hip laxity under increasing force in cadaveric dogs (n=34).
• 90% of hips reached ≥90% of LImax at 95.32 N, defining this force as sufficient for subluxation.
• LImax was not significantly influenced by osteoarthritis, weight, sex, or limb side.
• Position of device (lever length) influenced rate of laxity acquisition, not final LImax.
• LI curves were repeatable across 5 sessions, indicating elastic—not plastic—deformation.

🔍 Key Findings

• This study evaluated whether high-fidelity surgical simulator training improved live animal and student outcomes in a feline OHE teaching lab involving 186 cats and 146 students.
• Simulator training significantly improved surgical performance and outcomes:
  • Live surgery was 6 minutes shorter on average in the SIM group vs. NO-SIM (115 ± 21 min vs. 121 ± 16 min, p = .04).
  • Pain scores ≥5/20 occurred in 1% of SIM group cats vs. 15% of NO-SIM group cats (p < .01).
  • Rescue analgesia was needed less frequently in the SIM group (5% vs. 15%, p = .03).
  • Student confidence was significantly higher in the SIM group (median 7/10 vs. 6/10, p < .01).
• The simulator used a realistic abdominal model with friable tissues and required performance of a full OHE procedure.
• The study design was nonrandomized, grouped by class year, with limitations including lack of blinding during pain assessment in year two.
• Authors concluded that pre-lab simulator competency improves both animal welfare and student confidence, recommending it as a prerequisite for live surgical training.

🔍 Key Findings

• Ilio-sacral lymphadenectomy had the highest complication rates: intraoperative (7%) and postoperative (41%)
• Axillary lymphadenectomy showed the lowest complication rates: intraoperative (1%) and postoperative (16%)
• Enlarged or metastatic lymph nodes were significantly associated with intraoperative complications (p = .030)
• Postoperative complications were mostly minor (Grade 1) and self-limiting (seromas, edema)
• Medial retropharyngeal lymphadenectomy had intermediate complication rates: postoperative complications in 26%
• No significant predictors retained significance in multivariate analysis
• Use of methylene blue was associated with fewer complications, although not statistically significant
• Complication rates did not result in mortality, and all were manageable; MST was 374 days

🔍 Key Findings

• No significant difference in non-infected incisional dehiscence rates among groups using PDS vs. Monocryl for subcutaneous and skin closure.
• Overall dehiscence rate: 9.48% (22/232 dogs).
• Postoperative antibiotic use and signs of inflammation were significantly associated with dehiscence (p = .023 and p < .001, respectively).
• Dogs not receiving postoperative antibiotics had a higher dehiscence rate (14.74%) than those that did (5.84%).
• Most dehiscence cases were superficial (85.7%), and the average length of dehiscence was 1.71 cm.
• No statistically significant impact of weight, BCS, incision length, procedure type, surgeon experience, closure direction, or barrier use on dehiscence rate.

🔍 Key Findings

• Flexed MRI reduced IVD protrusion, foraminal stenosis, and VBLF significantly compared to neutral position.
• No dogs had persistent cauda equina compression or foraminal occlusion in the flexed position.
• Protrusion decreased by ~50% in flexion (PRCR and PACR reductions of 49.3% and 53.1%, respectively).
• Degree of IVD protrusion correlated with IVD degeneration but not spondylosis.
• Spondylosis did not limit flexion or affect decompression response.
• Complete vertebral canal occlusion resolved in all cases when LSJ was flexed.
• Indirect decompression via distraction may negate the need for laminectomy/discectomy, unless placing an IVD spacer.
• Findings question the routine use of decompressive surgery with distraction-stabilization in DLSS when good flexion is achieved.

🔍 Key Findings

• 48% of the intra-articular biceps tendon was visible at a standing angle; this increased to 63% in flexion (p = 0.0003).
• 58% of the medial glenohumeral ligament's cranial border was within view.
• 20% of the subscapularis tendon was visualized via the standard lateral arthroscopic approach.
• Visibility was assessed using tattoo ink markers and confirmed via dissection in cadavers.
• Limitations of standard lateral portals may lead to underdiagnosis of deeper or distal pathology in these structures.