Your Custom Quiz
In Hoenecke 2025 et al., on radiographic opacity in patella luxation, what percentage of stifles in dogs with intact CCLs showed increased soft tissue opacity on radiographs?
🔍 Key Findings
- 65% of stifles with patella luxation and intact CCLs had increased radiographic soft tissue opacity
- Weight and radiographic OA were significantly associated with increased opacity (p = .0029 and p = .0143)
- Each 1 kg increase in weight increased the odds of opacity by 10%
- Grade of patella luxation, age, and muscle atrophy were not significantly associated with increased opacity
- 19% of dogs with long-term follow-up developed a CCL rupture post-patella surgery, 50% of those had opacity at initial presentation
- Radiographic opacity alone should not be interpreted as CCL disease in dogs with patella luxation
- Radiographic findings likely represent effusion or synovial hyperplasia, not CCL pathology
- Arthrotomy was used to confirm CCL integrity at surgery, but arthroscopy could provide better sensitivity
Veterinary Surgery
7
2025
Increased radiographic stifle soft tissue opacity in dogs with patella luxation
2025-7-VS-hoenecke-2
In Peng 2025 et al., on novice evaluator performance, … which grader had the highest agreement with the gold standard?
🔍 Key Findings
- Remote respiratory function grading (RFG) had poor to moderate reliability compared to in-person assessment.
- Expert graders had higher agreement with in-person scores than novices (Cohen’s kappa 0.37–0.48 vs. 0.21–0.47).
- Interobserver agreement was moderate among experts (Fleiss’ kappa = 0.59) and poor among novices (Fleiss’ kappa = 0.39).
- Remote recordings suffered from background noise, short clip durations, and technical limitations of electronic stethoscope recordings.
- Final RFG scores were based on the highest grade across categories (respiratory noise, inspiratory effort, dyspnea/cyanosis/syncope).
- Clinical impact: Only in-person grading reliably supports decisions for surgical intervention or breeding restrictions.
Veterinary Surgery
3
2025
Comparison of remote and in-person respiratory function grading of brachycephalic dogs
2025-3-VS-peng1-2
In Altwal 2026 et al., on limb sparing review, which complication is most commonly associated with limb-sparing surgery in dogs?
🔍 Key Findings
- Limb-sparing surgery aims to preserve limb function after resection of diseased bone, most commonly for appendicular osteosarcoma but also for non-repairable fractures causing critical bone defects.
- Survival outcomes after limb-sparing can be comparable to limb amputation, providing an alternative for owners who decline amputation or for dogs poor candidates for amputation.
- Techniques fall into two main categories: reconstruction of the bone defect or procedures that avoid reconstruction, depending on tumor location and surgical strategy.
- Common reconstructive techniques include cortical allografts, endoprostheses, bone transport osteogenesis, vascular or non-vascular autografts, and tumor-treated autografts.
- Non-reconstruction procedures include partial scapulectomy, partial ulnectomy, or limb shortening, which preserve limb function without rebuilding the bone defect.
- Major contraindications include detectable metastatic disease and extensive soft tissue involvement, although criteria such as pathologic fracture remain controversial.
- Complications are common and include infection, biomechanical failure, and local tumor recurrence, often due to extensive surgery, implants, chemotherapy-associated immunosuppression, and limited soft tissue coverage.
- Technique selection depends on anatomical site, available equipment, surgeon expertise, and owner factors, and comparative outcome data for many techniques remain limited.
Veterinary Surgery
2
2026
Surgical limb-sparing in veterinary medicine: A review of existing techniques in dogs
2026-2-vs-altwal-2
In Heikkilä 2024 et al., on COPLA scaffold evaluation, which parameter improved significantly only in unilaterally operated COPLA limbs?
🔍 Key Findings Summary
- 22 dogs (36 shoulders) with shoulder OCD randomly assigned to COPLA scaffold (n=19) or Control (n=17) group
- At 6 months: Significantly fewer dogs in COPLA group had OA (14% vs. 67%; p = 0.019)
- At 1.5 years: OA prevalence increased in both groups with no significant difference (COPLA: 64%, Control: 60%)
- HCPI (pain index) increased significantly at 1 week post-op in COPLA dogs only (p = 0.001), but later normalized
- Static weight-bearing improved only in unilaterally operated COPLA limbs (p = 0.015)
- One dog in COPLA group had a fragment dislodge requiring arthroscopic removal
- Overall, COPLA scaffold may provide short-term benefit in OA reduction, but long-term outcomes were similar
Veterinary and Comparative Orthopedics and Traumatology
6
2024
Randomized, Blinded, Controlled Clinical Trial of Polylactide–Collagen Scaffold in Treatment of Shoulder Osteochondritis Dissecans in Dogs
2024-6-VCOT-heikkila-3
In Longo 2023 et al., on CT trochlear measurements, what difference in FTGA was observed between small and medium/large breed dogs without MPL?
🔍 Key Findings
- Dogs with MPL had significantly shallower femoral trochlear grooves compared to controls, based on CT-measured femoral trochlear groove angle (FTGA).
- FTGA >134° in small breeds (SB) and >128° in medium/large breeds (MLB) were associated with MPL and can serve as surgical thresholds for considering trochleoplasty.
- FTA and FTRIA measurements were less reliable, showing lower sensitivity/specificity than FTGA.
- Inter-rater reliability for FTGA was excellent (ICC > 0.9), supporting its use in clinical decision-making.
- FTGA differed significantly between SB and MLB dogs, suggesting anatomical variation influences MPL predisposition.
- Dogs with MPL but with FTGA below threshold may not benefit from trochleoplasty, supporting individualized surgical planning.
- CT provides more precise and reproducible evaluation of trochlear morphology than radiography or ultrasound.
- The study introduces a CT protocol using P25 and P50 reference points for consistent FTGA measurement.
Veterinary Surgery
3
2023
Computed tomographic measurements of the femoral trochlea in dogs with and without medial patellar luxation
2023-3-VS-longo-4
In Mazdarani 2022 et al., on CBLO and stifle biomechanics, what was the **mean postoperative tibial plateau angle (TPA)** achieved after CORA-based leveling osteotomy (CBLO)?
🔍 Key Findings
- CBLO reduced tibial plateau angle (TPA) from a mean of 28.1° to 9.7°, aligning with its goal of flattening the tibial slope.
- CBLO eliminated cranial tibial translation (CTT) following CCL transection and meniscal release at all angles except 140° without hamstring load.
- Hamstring loading (20% quadriceps load) significantly reduced or delayed the onset of CTT, improving stifle stability.
- Medial meniscus was confirmed as a secondary stabilizer; its release (MMR) caused more CTT than CCLx alone.
- PTA (patellar tendon angle) increased with joint extension; CBLO shifted the PTA curve lower and parallel to intact values, suggesting effective flexion of the joint.
- Combined CBLO and hamstring loading resulted in the most stable joints, especially from 50° to 135° joint angles.
- Residual CTT occurred in CBLO-only limbs at higher extension angles (e.g., 140°), but hamstring load mitigated this.
- Stifle stability post-CBLO is multifactorial, depending on joint angle, meniscal integrity, and hamstring activation.
Veterinary Surgery
6
2022
Effect of center of rotation of angulation‐based leveling osteotomy on ex vivo stifle joint stability following cranial cruciate ligament transection and medial meniscal release with and without a hamstring load
2022-6-VS-mazdarani-1
In Picavet 2026 et al., on sesamoid displacement radiography, which radiographic finding was significantly associated with popliteal sesamoid displacement?
🔍 Key Findings
- Popliteal sesamoid displacement (PSD) was identified in 14.4% of dogs with CCLD on preoperative 90° flexion radiographs, indicating it is an uncommon but notable radiographic finding.
- Dogs with PSD had significantly greater cranial tibial subluxation (CTS) preoperatively compared with dogs without PSD.
- Popliteal sesamoid reduction occurred in 100% of cases after TPLO, suggesting that proper TPLO mechanics restore normal sesamoid position.
- Postoperative CTS persisted in all dogs that had preoperative CTS (50.3%), although the magnitude of subluxation was significantly reduced after TPLO.
- Osteotomy positioning (centered vs distally centered) did not significantly influence postoperative CTS, indicating residual translation is not strongly affected by osteotomy placement.
- Postoperative tibial plateau angle (TPA) showed a weak negative correlation with residual CTS, suggesting lower TPAs may slightly reduce postoperative tibial translation.
- PSD appears to be associated with more pronounced stifle instability prior to surgery, serving as a radiographic indicator of more severe CCLD biomechanics.
- Radiographic evaluation of popliteal sesamoid reduction may provide an additional objective indicator of residual cranio-caudal instability following TPLO.
Veterinary Surgery
2
2026
Radiographic assessment of popliteal sesamoid position and cranial tibial subluxation in canine stifle joints undergoing TPLO: A retrospective study of 163 dogs
2026-2-vs-picavet-2
In Burton 2023 et al., on CHAPS plate design, how many CHAPS plate sizes were developed to accommodate different dog sizes?
🔍 Key Findings
- The Canine Humeral Anatomic Plating System (CHAPS) was designed using CT-based 3D modeling of 100 canine humeri from 5–50 kg.
- Four plate sizes (TP1–TP4) were developed to accommodate a wide range of canine body sizes.
- Plate contour fit was evaluated across 48 cadaveric limbs and showed a 97.5% median surface match, demonstrating excellent topographic conformity.
- Screw hole placement avoided 95–100% of critical anatomical structures including the supratrochlear foramen and nutrient foramen.
- The plates were designed for use with locking screws, improving biomechanical stability for humeral diaphyseal fractures.
- CHAPS plates showed consistent alignment with humeral curvature in both craniocaudal and mediolateral planes.
- CT data revealed marked breed and size variation, but the multi-size design achieved broad anatomical applicability.
- The system provides an anatomic solution with potentially fewer intraoperative contouring needs and reduced iatrogenic risk.
Veterinary Surgery
3
2023
Design and topographic evaluation of a canine humeral anatomic plating system (CHAPS)
2023-3-vs-burton-2
In Ibrahim 2022 et al., on scrotal arterial supply, what was concluded regarding the use of scrotal flaps in neutered dogs?
🔍 Key Findings
- Dorsal scrotal arteries, branching from the ventral perineal arteries, are the dominant arterial supply to the scrotum in dogs.
- The ventral scrotal arteries, arising from the external pudendal arteries, perfused only the cranial scrotal border and were inconsistently present or absent in some dogs.
- A scrotal flap based on the dorsal scrotal arteries showed strong perfusion and may be a viable axial pattern flap.
- Perfusion was consistent across fresh and frozen cadavers, showing no difference due to preservation method.
- Poor flap survival (27%) occurred when based on cranial supply alone (i.e., ventral scrotal arteries), confirming importance of preserving caudal supply.
- There are anastomoses between dorsal and ventral scrotal arteries, offering collateral flow but insufficient alone for complete perfusion.
- Scrotal flaps based on the caudal pedicle may be applicable for reconstruction of proximal medial/lateral thigh wounds.
- Proposed flap requires careful preservation of ventral perineal arteries, ideally designed 2.5–3 cm lateral to midline in large dogs.
Veterinary Surgery
4
2022
Arterial supply to the scrotum: A cadaveric angiographic study
2022-4-VS-ibrahim-4
In Bresciani 2022 et al., on modified urethrostomy outcomes, what complication required surgical revision in 2 cats?
🔍 Key Findings
- Modified prepubic urethrostomy (mPPU) was effective for managing proximal urethral obstructions in male cats.
- All 8 cats regained voluntary urination within 24 hours postoperatively.
- Early urinary incontinence and peristomal dermatitis occurred in all cats but were self-limiting.
- Two cats (25%) required surgical revision due to stomal obstruction from weight gain and abdominal fat.
- No intraoperative complications were reported in any of the 8 cats.
- Follow-up (13–84 months) showed sustained urinary continence and owner satisfaction in all cases.
- The rectus abdominis muscle tunnel likely increased outflow resistance, minimizing persistent incontinence.
- Recurrent hematuria and dysuria occurred in 3 cats but were managed conservatively.
Veterinary Surgery
2
2022
Modified prepubic urethrostomy with body wall tunneling: Description of technique and long-term outcome in eight male cats
2022-2-VS-bresciani-4
Quiz Results
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Key Findings