🔍 Key Findings

Study Design: Case series of 8 dogs with confirmed or suspected PJI after total hip replacement (THR)
Dogs were categorized into:

• Curative intent (CI) group (n=5): short-duration infections, implant retention attempted
• Non-curative intent (NCI) group (n=3): chronic infections, implants scheduled for removal or revision

Success Rate: 7 of 8 dogs had infection resolution, including 4 of 5 in the CI group
Sampling sensitivity:

• Arthroscopic culture success was 80% in the CI group but only 33% in the NCI group
• All explanted implants from NCI group yielded positive cultures

Common isolates: Staphylococcus pseudointermedius (including MRSP), S. epidermidis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and E. coli
Ancillary treatments included:

• Partial synovectomy, high-volume lavage (5–10 L), biofilm-depleting lavage, and/or amikacin-impregnated calcium sulfate beads

Mean follow-up: >1 year (mean 812 days); no signs of recurrence in successfully treated cases
Conclusions: Arthroscopic management of THR infections is feasible and effective in appropriately selected dogs. Success aligns with human literature when infection type is favorable (Type 1, 3, 4). Sensitivity of arthroscopic culture is higher in early/acute infections.

🔍 Key Findings

Mortality rate: 36% (12/33)
Cholecystectomy performed: 94% of dogs (31/33)
New significant prognostic factors for survival:

• Hyperbilirubinemia (p = .049) — threshold = 60.5 μmol/L
• Use of vasopressors (p = .002)
• Renal dysfunction postoperatively (p = .008)
• Number of postoperative complications (p = .005)

Multivariate model: Total bilirubin and number of complications best predicted survival
Septic vs nonseptic effusion: No significant difference in survival
Diagnostic imaging: Ultrasound sensitivity for extrahepatic biliary rupture = 38%
Most cultured pathogen: E. coli (80% of septic cases)

🔍 Key Findings

• Adding Locking Head Inserts (LHI) to a 3.5-mm LCP had no effect on plate strain, stiffness, or deformation in an open fracture gap model.
• Peak strain consistently occurred at the Combi-hole over the fracture gap, with values up to ~1837 µε.
• No significant difference in strain was found across configurations with 0, 3, or 9 LHI (p = 0.847).
• Construct stiffness and compressive displacement also remained unchanged regardless of LHI count (p = 0.311 and 0.069 respectively).
• Study contradicted the hypothesis that LHI would reduce strain and increase stiffness under biologic loading.
• Combi-hole design may limit the efficacy of LHI, as LHI only fill the locking portion, not the compression side where strain peaks.
• Implant fatigue risk remains highest over unfilled screw holes, especially over fracture sites—confirming previous failure patterns.
• Surgeons should consider alternative methods to reduce strain when facing high implant load scenarios.

🔍 Key Findings

• Bilateral radial head OCD lesions were identified in a 6-month-old English Bulldog with elbow lameness.
• Medial arthroscopic portals allowed only partial visualization of radial head lesions, insufficient for treatment.
• Lateral arthroscopy portals provided excellent access for fragment removal and abrasion arthroplasty.
• Histopathology confirmed OCD, showing cartilage degeneration and retained cartilaginous cores.
• Dog showed complete resolution of lameness and no elbow pain at 5 months post-op.
• Lesions were caudolateral on the radial head, with discoid elevation of cartilage and clefts.
• Lateral approach avoids major neurovascular structures, reducing iatrogenic risk.
• The authors suggest lateral elbow arthroscopy may have broader indications, including for medial compartment disease or synovial biopsies.

🔍 Key Findings

• 15 dogs underwent minimally invasive tarsal arthrodesis (MITA); 10 partial, 5 pantarsal.
• Mean time to radiographic union: 1.8 ± 0.5 months.
• Mean time to clinical union: 3.7 ± 0.8 months.
• Complete osseous union: 46%; the rest achieved ≥50% with functional weightbearing.
• Complication rate: 26% major (mostly implant-related); no catastrophic complications or plantar necrosis.
• Functional outcomes: 6 full, 8 acceptable, 1 unacceptable (not due to MITA).
• MITA may lower soft tissue complications vs open approaches and enable faster healing.

🔍 Key Findings

• Complication rate for subdermal plexus flaps (SPFs) in dogs was 53.6%.
• Skin staples had a numerically higher complication rate (72.2%) than sutures (49.3%), but not statistically significant due to small sample size.
• Most common complication was wound dehiscence (35%), followed by seroma (14%) and wound discharge (14%).
• Increased body weight was significantly associated with higher complication risk (OR = 1.056 per kg; p = .029).
• Advancement flaps were associated with a lower incidence of complications on univariable analysis (p < .001).
• Head region flap closures had fewer complications, while proximal pelvic limb closures had the highest complication rate.
• Age was a risk factor—each additional year increased odds of complications (OR = 1.019; p = .004).
• Closure technique did not significantly influence complication severity, though staple use was numerically worse.

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• Population: 754 soft tissue or orthopedic procedures in dogs and cats
• SSI Rate: 62/754 (8.2%)
• Algorithms Evaluated:
  • Algorithm 1: Highest sensitivity (87.1%) → best for "rule-out"
  • Algorithm 2: Highest specificity (97.9%) → best for "rule-in"
  • Algorithm 3: Highest overall accuracy (95.5%)
• Active vs. Passive Surveillance:
  • Active surveillance detected 12 additional SSIs (19.4%) missed by passive
  • Active surveillance increased detection rate by 24%
• Timing: Most SSIs occurred within 30 days; late infections (after 90 days) were rare and implant-related
• Conclusion: Client questionnaires are a valid and scalable tool for SSI detection; active surveillance improves outcomes

🔍 Key Findings

• Liver masses were most common in the left division (58%), followed by central (27%) and right (15%).
• Right divisional masses were significantly associated with intraoperative complications (33% vs 5.6% left, p = .0037), particularly hemorrhage and injury to major vessels.
• Mortality rate was 6.5% overall, with no significant association with liver lobe location.
• Postoperative complications occurred in 28.7% of cases, but were not significantly associated with mass location.
• Thoracic incision extension (sternotomy or diaphragmotomy) increased odds of postoperative complications by 9.1x (p < .001).
• Use of TA stapler significantly reduced both intraoperative (OR 19x lower) and postoperative complications (OR 4.4x lower) vs other methods.
• Specialist surgeons and heavier dogs had significantly fewer postoperative complications.
• Right lobectomies often required thoracic extension, indirectly linking them to increased postoperative morbidity.

🔍 Key Findings

• Combined ICTL and NIRF detected the same SLN in 80% of cases; each method alone missed sentinel lymph nodes in some dogs.
• ICLT failed in 5% of dogs, while NIRF failed in 20%; combined use resulted in only 5% failure in SLN detection.
• Metastatic lymph nodes were detected in 95% of dogs, despite most tumors being low or intermediate grade (95%).
• 27 of 41 nodes (65.8%) were histologically metastatic (HN2 or HN3), many of which would have been missed using ALN alone.
• ALN matched the SLN in only 45% of cases with ICTL and 30% with NIRF, supporting the need for SLN mapping.
• ICLT and NIRF were complementary, often identifying different SLN, with some only fluorescent or enhanced in one modality.
• Subcutaneous MCT had higher metastatic rates (7/8 dogs) than previously reported, challenging older assumptions about benign behavior.
• Removing both ALN and SLN (from both methods) improved detection of metastasis to 85–95%, reducing risk of understaging.

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• 20 cats with pelvic fractures treated using locking plates with only cortical screws
• 28 fractures stabilized (ilium: 17, acetabulum: 6, ischium: 3, pubis: 2)
• Implants: Primarily 1.5/2.0 mm LCPs or String-of-Pearls plates
• Major complications in 2/20 cases (10%): sciatic entrapment, malunion requiring THA
• Minor complications in 2/20 cases (10%): plate impingement, transient lameness
• Clinical union in all cats by 8 weeks; all cats returned to full function
• Authors conclude cortical screws alone can provide adequate fixation in feline pelvic fractures if screw purchase and bone quality are sufficient