🔍 Key Findings

Study population: 12 dogs with medial or lateral tarsocrural joint instability (TCI), including 5 working farm dogs.
Procedure: Temporary immobilization using a calcaneotibial screw (CTS) combined with external coaptation (EC).
Stabilization techniques:

• 3 dogs = primary ligamentous repair
• 8 dogs = synthetic ligament reconstruction
• 2 dogs = malleolar fracture repair

Follow-up: Median 31 months (range 4–66); 10 owners completed outcome survey.
Outcomes:

• All 10 dogs had improved or resolved lameness.
• All 5 farm dogs returned to work (most at full or substantial capacity).
• Complication rate: 4 distinct events in 3 dogs (1 major = CTS breakage; 3 minor = bandage-related soft tissue injuries).

Conclusion: CTS + EC provided effective immobilization with low complication rate, and functional outcomes were favorable even in active dogs.

🔍 Key Findings

• Fascia was present over most of the canine forelimb, but key areas like the elbow, carpus, and manus lacked robust fascial planes for wide resection.
• Type I fascia (discrete sheet) was primarily found in the antebrachium, with type IV (periosteal) fascia located at the olecranon, scapular spine, and accessory carpal bone.
• Distal antebrachial fascia was thin and adherent, often blending with carpal structures and lacking reliable surgical planes.
• Partial tenectomy or joint capsule resection was often required for wide excision in the distal limb, especially over the triceps tendon and carpus.
• Nerve transections (e.g., superficial radial or ulnar branches) were commonly needed to maintain fascial margins, though often with minimal functional loss due to overlapping innervation.
• Digital and metacarpal pads lacked clear deep fascial borders, making digit amputation necessary for oncologic margins in distal tumors.
• Dissections revealed fascial junctions as either Type A (easily separable) or Type B (risk of disruption), guiding resection plane selection.
• Findings provide a surgical map to guide preoperative planning for superficial tumor excision on the forelimb.

🔍 Key Findings

• Partial cuneiformectomy (PC) did not increase complication rates compared to multilevel surgery alone (overall complications: PC = 16.3%, non-PC = 19.4%; p = .758).
• Major complication rates were not significantly different (PC = 11.6%, non-PC = 7.4%; p = .482).
• Significant improvement in BOAS grade was observed in dogs undergoing PC (p < .0001).
• BOAS index improved significantly in both groups, with greater median reduction in the PC group (28.5%) than non-PC (20.7%) (p < .0001).
• Low body condition score (BCS <4) was significantly associated with higher complication rates (odds ratio = 0.452; p = .004).
• Hospitalization duration did not differ between groups (median = 1 day; p = .743).
• Mortality was low (3.5%) in the PC group despite more severe airway disease, suggesting the technique is safe even in advanced collapse.
• The technique widened the rima glottidis without damaging surrounding structures, reducing airflow resistance and preserving laryngeal function.

🔍 Key Findings

• Traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts (TPP) were diagnosed in 11 patients (9 dogs, 2 cats) using CT after blunt trauma.
• TPPs were identified on radiographs in 64% of cases that were CT-confirmed, highlighting the superior sensitivity of CT.
• Most cases (7/10) were managed conservatively, with complete recovery and no TPP-related mortality.
• Thoracic surgery (lung lobectomy) was performed in 3 dogs, due to persistent pneumothorax or large TPP with perceived risk of complications.
• All pneumothorax cases were managed with thoracostomy tubes, and chest drains were used in 73% of cases.
• Pneumothorax was present in 100% of patients, often bilateral, and pulmonary contusions were reported in 73%.
• One cat was euthanized due to unrelated maxillofacial trauma; no deaths were attributed to TPP itself.
• Long-term follow-up (median 768 days) revealed only 1 case with possible TPP-related pneumonia; others had no complications.

🔍 Key Findings

• No proximal femoral fractures occurred in any of the 184 hips with cerclage wire placement
• Cerclage wire was well tolerated, with no failures or complications related to the wire
• Application of a single cerclage wire took <10 minutes, was cost-effective, and required minimal instrumentation
• 3 postoperative complications (1 fissure, 2 fractures) occurred distal to the cerclage site, near the stem tip, requiring plate/screw fixation
• All dogs returned to normal activity, and all owners were satisfied with the outcome
• Cerclage placement location is critical—must be proximal to the lesser trochanter and close to the calcar to resist hoop strain
• Biomechanical evidence supports that cerclage wires improve resistance to hoop strain and subsidence of cementless stems
• Press-fit cementless stems may settle, but when supported by cerclage, this does not result in fractures even in undersized implants

🔍 Key Findings

• Arthroscopic meniscal suturing was performed in 43 client-owned dogs, involving 44 meniscal repairs (one dog was bilateral). All injuries involved the caudal horn of the medial meniscus and were associated with cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) disease.
• All dogs underwent simultaneous TPLO, with some also receiving an internal brace (IB). Most repairs used simple vertical mattress sutures.
• The overall complication rate was 34.1% (15/44). Most complications were attributed to the TPLO/TPLO+IB and did not compromise the meniscal repair outcome.
• No median time to “acceptable” or “full” function was reported, but most dogs showed improvement in lameness and LOAD scores (p < .001), indicating good to excellent outcomes.
• Meniscal repair success rate was 88% (38/44), with TPLO + IB outperforming TPLO-only (93.3% vs 71.4%). Follow-up was performed at 8 weeks (40 dogs) and 6 months (16 dogs).
• Six failures occurred, all managed with arthroscopic meniscectomy, leading to normal activity in those dogs. Two IB-associated failures led to CrCL instability.
• The authors concluded the technique was safe, practical, and effective, with a reasonable complication rate.
• The findings support arthroscopic suturing as a feasible alternative to meniscectomy or meniscal release, offering long-term benefits for preserving the meniscus.

🔍 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

• Mean SI joint reduction was 94.25%, exceeding the 90% target considered important to reduce screw loosening
• Mean sacral width purchase was 82.52%, with all screws achieving >60%—a threshold for reducing implant loosening risk
• All 20 screws were accurately placed within the sacral body, confirmed via CT or radiographs
• A 3D-printed drill guide and table-bound system facilitated consistent screw placement via minimally invasive technique
• Craniocaudal and dorsoventral angles were well controlled (mean CCA = –1.22°, DVA = 0.71°), demonstrating accurate trajectory
• No intraoperative complications were reported; all pilot holes drilled on first attempt
• Use of fluoroscopy and orthogonal imaging enhanced surgical accuracy and reduced malposition risk
• The system permitted screw placement through a sleeve that doubled as a muscle retractor, allowing implant delivery without disruption

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• Finite element analysis compared intact radii vs. locking plates placed 1 mm or 3 mm above the bone
• LP placement significantly reduced tensile (maximum principal) stress on cranial cortex, potentially causing implant-induced osteoporosis
• Shell element findings:
  • Max principal stress significantly lower in both LP groups vs. intact (p < 0.05)
• Solid element findings:
  • Equivalent stress higher and max principal stress lower in LP groups
• Implication: Tension reduction may impair bone remodeling; implant design and placement height affect stress environment

🔍 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.