🔍 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.

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• Subjects: 12 healthy colony cats, 68 total liver samples collected via laparoscopy
• Biopsy instruments: 3 mm vs 5 mm Storz Blakesley cup forceps
• Techniques: Twist (T), Pull (P), Twist + Pull (TP)
• Results:
  • 5 mm forceps yielded significantly more hepatic lobules (mean 12.4 vs 4.9), portal triads (29.6 vs 19.0), weight, and histologic area (p < .01)
  • T and P techniques yielded more portal triads and lobules than TP (p = .003 and p = .015)
  • TP technique resulted in greater tissue crush vs T (p = .01)
  • Good diagnostic agreement between 3 mm and 5 mm samples only with TP (κ = 0.75)
  • All samples were of sufficient diagnostic quality, despite size or technique
• Clinical implication: Both 3 mm and 5 mm forceps are viable; further studies are needed to confirm diagnostic accuracy of 3 mm samples

🔍 Key Findings

• Accurate femoral isometric placement was achieved in 63% of cases, significantly more with SwiveLock (78.6%) than FASTak (38.9%).
• Inaccurate placement was associated with increased internal tibial rotation at follow-up (p = .009), suggesting potential implant failure.
• Pivot shift grade improved in 90.9% of stifles postoperatively, regardless of implant positioning accuracy.
• SwiveLock implants had a faster learning curve and higher placement accuracy than FASTak.
• Higher patient weight was linked to more accurate implant placement (p = .012), likely due to easier anatomical landmark identification.
• No correlation found between implant type or positioning accuracy and final pivot shift grade at 6 weeks.
• Minor and major complications were low and not significantly different between implant types.
• A simplified 2-grade pivot shift system was proposed for clinical use (Grade 1: glide, Grade 2: clunk), aiding intraoperative decision-making.

🔍 Key Findings

• Modified block recession calcaneoplasty restored full clinical function in all dogs (11 limbs in 9 dogs) at long-term follow-up.
• Objective gait function improved significantly, with symmetry index improving from 0.20 ± 0.13 preoperatively to 0.05 ± 0.03 at long-term follow-up (p = .03).
• No routine postoperative tarsal immobilization was used, yet stable tendon positioning and excellent outcomes were achieved in most cases.
• Overall complication rate was 45%, including 18% major complications requiring revision surgery and 27% minor complications.
• Only one reluxation occurred, secondary to fracture of an overly narrow medial calcaneal wall; successful revision prevented further recurrence.
• CT confirmed persistent deepening of the calcaneal groove and uneventful healing with variable osseous remodeling at long-term follow-up.
• Ultrasonography demonstrated normalization of tendon fiber architecture at long-term evaluation despite heterogeneous appearance in many tendons at 6 weeks.
• Most dogs were Shetland Sheepdogs (8/9), supporting breed predisposition, and all luxations were lateral.

🔍 Key Findings

• Caudal superficial epigastric (CSE) flaps were most visible with NIRFA, scoring 4/4 VFP in 97% of evaluations.
• CSE flap margins were altered in 65% of observations after NIRFA, showing the strongest influence on surgical planning.
• Thoracodorsal (THO) and omocervical (OMO) flaps had lower visualization scores, with 60–81% of images scoring below 2.
• Surgeons were 17–25 times more likely to adjust margins for CSE flaps versus OMO or THO based on fluorescence imaging.
• Poor inter-rater agreement was found for OMO (ICC 0.49) and THO (ICC 0.35); CSE had near-perfect agreement, but ICC was low due to uniform high scoring.
• Visualization was affected by flap depth and panniculus, making deeper vessels (OMO, THO) harder to see.
• Surgeons often shortened flap length and reduced flap area when modifying based on NIRFA results.
• Real-time angiosome visualization via NIRFA-ICG may reduce necrosis risk and improve patient-specific APF design.

🔍 Key Findings

Sample: 201 lymphadenectomies in 163 dogs.
Intraoperative techniques:

• Unassisted: 36%
• Methylene blue (MB): 24%
• Gamma probe + MB (γ-MB): 40%

Complication rate: 7.5% overall (93% uncomplicated)

• 80% were mild, 20% moderate; no severe complications
• Most common = seroma (2.5%), lymphoedema (1.5%)

Risk factors (via decision tree model):

• Surgical time > 21.5 min
• Lymph node site = mandibular or retropharyngeal

No significant difference in complication rate based on:

• Guidance technique (p = .255)
• LN palpability, number removed, or LN size

Clinical implication: Peripheral SLN excision is safe regardless of intraoperative technique; certain sites and durations carry slightly higher risk.

🔍 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

• Median BFX stem subsidence was only 0.4 mm, but values ranged from −4.1 to 9.8 mm across 177 THRs.
• Subsidence was significantly associated with stem complications (p = .005), but not with non-stem complications (p = .76) or prosthetic luxation (p = .07).
• Most stem complications were intraoperative femoral fissures (8/11), and only one fissure progressed to postoperative femoral fracture.
• Traditional subsidence thresholds of 3 mm and 5 mm poorly predicted complications; most stems exceeding these values remained complication-free.
• Large subsidence can be clinically inconsequential, with two stems demonstrating 8.8 mm and 9.8 mm of subsidence without complications.
• Canal flare index, canal fill, and stem orientation were not associated with subsidence, suggesting limited predictive value of these radiographic measurements.
• Subsidence may reflect consequences of intraoperative fissures rather than cause complications, supporting a possible reverse-causality relationship.
• Clinical interpretation of subsidence should be contextual, considering fissures, implant sizing, femoral morphology, and patient factors rather than relying on numeric cutoffs alone.

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• IMN provides relative stability, resists bending/torsion due to central axis alignment
• Larger diameter nails = exponentially greater stiffness (∝ D⁴)
• Trade-off: Larger interlocking holes weaken fatigue strength of the nail
• Reaming increases contact/stability but has pros/cons:
  • Improves outcomes in closed fractures
  • May reduce endosteal blood flow in thin-walled bones (e.g., cats)
• Design advances:
  • Angle-stable IMN reduce rotational slack
  • Expandable nails simplify insertion but may compromise removal or compressive load resistance
  • Precontoured nails match bone curvature but lack consistent clinical superiority
• Material debates continue (e.g., titanium vs. stainless steel vs. magnesium)

🔍 Key Findings

• Fascial planes in dogs were consistently classifiable into four surgical types:
• Type I (discrete sheets), Type II (tightly adhered to thin muscle), Type III (tightly adhered to thick muscle), and Type IV (periosteum-associated).
• Two junction types were identified: Type A (easily elevated) and Type B (higher risk of disruption).
• Disruption-prone areas include the scapular spine (type IV fascia) and lateral thorax near the 13th rib, where rib resection may be needed to preserve margins.
• The latissimus dorsi transition zones and fascial areas near the thoracic inlet and scapulohumeral joint were prone to fascial thinning or disruption.
• Partial muscle resections or periosteal elevations may be required in areas with fragile fascia to maintain oncologic margins.
• Dorsal spinous processes (T6–L6) showed type IV fascia; however, osteotomy may be needed in some dogs for clear margins.
• Blended fascial transitions (e.g., rectus abdominis: type II cranially, type I caudally) necessitate intraoperative judgment on resection depth.
• Cutaneous trunci may suffice as a deep margin for small, low-grade tumors in well-muscled dogs, but not reliably for high-grade or larger masses.