🔍 Key Findings Summary

• 47 dogs (57 elbows) underwent TCS placement for HIF
• Overall complication rate = 17.5%
  • Minor: seromas (7 elbows)
  • Major: septic arthritis (3 elbows) — all resolved with antibiotics
• No screw failures, medial epicondylar fractures, or catastrophic outcomes noted
• Long-term follow-up in 41 dogs (50 elbows):
  • 90% full function, 10% acceptable function
  • Mean follow-up = ~2.5 years
• Increased age was significantly protective (p = 0.0051; OR = 0.61)
• TCS placement method (freehand, guide, aiming device) significantly impacted screw angulation but not complication rate
• Outcome not affected by presence of complications

🔍 Key Findings

• Postoperative Protein C (PC) activity increased in 78.7% of dogs, and was significantly higher in dogs with excellent clinical outcomes.
• Complete acute shunt occlusion resulted in higher postoperative PC activity (96.3%) and better ultimate clinical outcomes than incomplete occlusion.
• Preoperative PC was not predictive of clinical status, but postoperative PC was associated with improved outcomes.
• Standard biochemical markers (HCT, MCV, ALB, BUN) also improved postoperatively, especially in dogs with excellent clinical outcomes.
• Dogs requiring a second procedure had significantly lower postoperative PC (43.5%) than those not requiring further intervention (78.5%).
• Repeat procedures improved PC and BUN values, with PC increasing significantly after second intervention (to 69.8%).
• PC normalization (within reference interval) occurred in 87.5% of dogs with excellent clinical status, compared to only 12.5% in those with poor status.
• Clinical outcome classification (excellent/fair/poor) correlated with biochemical normalization and lack of need for diet/medications.

🔍 Key Findings

• 97.4% of dogs returned to normal function after total hip replacement using the BFX lateral bolt.
• Mean femoral stem subsidence was 1.22 mm, with most occurring in the first month and minimal thereafter.
• Postoperative complication rate was 13.6%, with 9.2% major and 4.4% minor complications.
• Femoral fractures (3.6%) and coxofemoral luxations (3.6%) were the most common major complications.
• Increased age and higher stem size were risk factors for postoperative femoral fractures; CFI >2.0 was also associated.
• Medial calcar fractures were avoided, and fractures occurred distal to stem ingrowth zone, simplifying repairs.
• Three cases underwent prophylactic plating, all with excellent outcomes and no complications.
• Explant rate was 2.6% (5/195), with most failures involving acetabular cup rather than femoral stem.

🔍 Key Findings

• Distal femoral shortening osteotomy (DFSO) enabled prosthesis reduction in all 4 dogs with irreducible luxoid hips undergoing total hip replacement.
• Median femoral shortening ratio was 13.8% (range: 10.7–15.3%) based on intraoperative tension needed for prosthesis reduction.
• Bone union was achieved in all cases post-DFSO, indicating good healing potential.
• Two major complications occurred: one prosthetic luxation and one aseptic stem loosening requiring explantation.
• One intraoperative fracture of the greater trochanter occurred during trial reduction before DFSO.
• DFSO did not result in neurovascular injury, even in cases with significant femoral head displacement (>4 cm).
• Radiographic planning with FHD index and intraoperative assessment were crucial for determining DFSO necessity.
• DFSO avoids complications linked to subtrochanteric osteotomy by preserving proximal femoral anatomy and allowing secure distal fixation.

🔍 Key Findings

• 3D-printed patient-specific guides (PSGs) significantly improved accuracy of drill hole entry (p < 0.001) and exit (p = 0.044) compared to commercial aiming devices (AD).
• Zero joint penetrations occurred with PSGs, whereas 3 of 7 AD-guided screws were predicted to penetrate the joint (p = 0.19).
• Variance in exit point and drill angle was significantly lower in PSG group, suggesting more consistent results.
• One PSG case failed due to improper guide seating, but this was corrected with improved soft tissue clearance.
• PSGs enabled safer trajectories despite use by novice surgeons, emphasizing their value in less experienced hands.
• Drill holes placed with ADs deviated more cranially and distally, increasing the risk of articular violation.
• Use of PSGs allowed for tighter clustering of drill trajectories, especially in the cranial–caudal axis.
• Subjective feedback favored PSGs for ease of use and ergonomic design, despite requiring slightly larger incisions.

🔍 Key Findings

• Modified closed anal sacculectomy resulted in a local recurrence rate of only 2.2%, substantially lower than prior reports (18–50%).
• Postoperative complications occurred in 31.9% of dogs; most (93%) were minor, with dehiscence being the most common.
• Mean survival time in deceased dogs was 521 days; median was 388 days.
• Surgical technique included complete en bloc excision of the sac and duct with sphincter reconstruction, aiming to reduce seeding risk.
• Only one major complication resulted in euthanasia due to infection and dehiscence.
• Histologic margins were complete in 44.7% of dogs; lymphatic invasion was present in 31.9%, and vascular in 8.5%.
• Adjunctive chemotherapy was administered in 34% of dogs (mostly carboplatin); not standardized due to retrospective design.
• Routine rectal exam was key to diagnosis in 57.4% of dogs with no clinical signs, underscoring the importance of screening.

🔍 Key Findings

• CBLO was effective for stifle stabilization in skeletally immature dogs with CrCL injuries, avoiding disruption of proximal tibial growth plates.
• Radiographic union of the osteotomy occurred in a mean of 6 weeks (range: 4–8 weeks), indicating rapid bone healing.
• Full limb function was restored in all cases by long-term follow-up (mean 23 months), including dogs with initial complications.
• Two dogs developed 19° valgus deformities due to screw interference with the proximal tibial physis; both were corrected surgically with return to function.
• One dog developed 10° recurvatum due to over-rotation of the tibial plateau, but retained full function without revision.
• CCS (countersink compression screw) caused early apophyseal closure in older dogs but had no adverse clinical effects.
• In contrast, K-wire or plate-only fixation preserved open apophysis, suggesting implant choice may influence growth.
• No meniscal injuries were observed, and all CrCL injuries were managed arthroscopically — 6 complete, 6 partial, 4 avulsions.

🔍 Key Findings

• A lateral surgical approach can successfully implant a canine total ankle replacement (cTAR) prosthesis with accurate implant orientation and stable joint mechanics.
• Post-implantation angular laxity was greater after the lateral approach (15.5°) than the medial approach (9.5°, p = 0.044), though joints remained within acceptable stability limits.
• External rotational laxity increased after implantation with both approaches (lateral +5.4°, medial +6.7°), suggesting mild postoperative rotational laxity likely related to soft-tissue dissection.
• Implant alignment differed minimally between approaches, with most alignment differences <4°, indicating comparable surgical accuracy.
• Bone–implant interface gaps were small and similar between approaches, with ~96% of gaps <1 mm, indicating excellent implant seating.
• Damage to the short lateral collateral ligament occurred in 4/5 lateral-approach limbs, likely due to its insertion near the talar articular surface.
• Technical challenges with the lateral approach included COR post placement and fibular fragment retraction, sometimes leading to slightly proximal implant milling.
• Clinical implication: A lateral approach is a viable alternative when medial exposure is difficult (e.g., medial implants, fibrosis, or abnormal medial malleolus), though ligament injury risk must be considered.

🔍 Key Findings

• No statistically significant difference in overall SSI rates: 9.2% (chlorhexidine) vs. 7.38% (iodophor) (p = .25).
• Significant drape lift occurred in 13.2% of cases; those with lift had 2.72× increased risk of SSI (p = .026).
• Increased body weight was a statistically significant risk factor for SSI (p = .008): each 1 kg increased SSI risk by 3%.
• Use of glutaraldehyde was associated with a 2.38× increased risk of SSI (p = .055, approaching significance).
• No difference in SSI rates based on surgeon training level or surgical classification (clean, clean-contaminated, contaminated).

🔍 Key Findings

Incidence of BFX lateral bolt stem breakage: 2.95% (13 dogs, 14 stems)

Implant factors:

• 13/14 were BFX lateral bolt stems (sizes #5–7)
• +9 necks used in 5/11 of 17 mm heads
• 10/14 stems undersized based on radiographs
• 10/13 dogs exceeded weight limits for implanted stem size

Malalignment:

• 10/14 had varus alignment (median 3.9°)
• 8/14 had insufficient proximodistal seating

Breakage site: Proximolateral shoulder in all cases

Revision outcomes:

• 11 revised (7 CFX, 3 larger BFX, 1 collared)
• 9/10 revised dogs regained full function
• Complications: 1 rebreakage, 1 periprosthetic fracture, 1 fixation failure

Histopathology:

• Electron microscopy showed fatigue striations and incomplete bead fusion

Conclusion: Avoid small BFX lateral bolt stems if undersized or if long necks required; use weight guidelines to prevent fatigue failure.