🔍 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

• Only 1 of 12 dogs (8.3%) cultured the same single organism (Staphylococcus schleiferi) at TECA and dehiscence sites.
• In 58.3% (7/12), none of the bacteria from TECA cultures were found at dehiscence.
• Staphylococcus spp. were isolated in 83.3% of dehiscence samples.
• Methicillin resistance was high among Staphylococcus isolates: 80% at dehiscence.
• Antibiotic susceptibility differed in 57% (4/7) of cases where the same bacteria were cultured at both time points.
• TECA cultures were not predictive of bacteria at incisional dehiscence.
• 75% of dogs healed with either medical or surgical management.

Recommendation: Repeat cultures at dehiscence to guide antibiotic therapy.

🔍 Key Findings

40 dogs underwent splenectomy using 16 bipolar vessel sealing devices (VSDs)
Devices were reused up to 4 times after handwashing and ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization
Biologic debris was found in 100% of devices, specifically under the transection blade, even after a single use

• Mostly scant (14/16) or mild (2/16) debris

No devices or debris yielded positive aerobic culture after EtO sterilization
EtO sterilization proved microbiologically effective despite visible residue
Perioperative failure rate: 1 device (malfunctioned during first activation)

🔍 Key Findings

• Direct suction salvaged more red blood cell mass (rbcM) than swab washing: 88.43% vs 84.74% (p = .015)
• Swab washing still achieved high recovery (84.74%), making it a viable adjunct when suction is not possible
• No significant difference in post-salvage PCV between methods (~34% for Su and ~33.9% for Sw)
• Total salvaged blood volume was significantly higher using direct suction (143 mL vs 139.8 mL; p < .001)
• Leukocytes are removed during salvage, potentially lowering risk of cytokine-mediated transfusion reactions
• Expired pRBCs were used, but device still achieved high RBC recovery, supporting clinical utility
• Swab washing via manual agitation may cause more RBC destruction than direct suction
• Cell salvage may avoid complications of allogeneic transfusions, like storage lesions and immunologic reactions

🔍 Key Findings

• Barbed sutures showed comparable leakage pressure to traditional sutures and stapling devices (p = .36).
• No bronchial leaks occurred at physiological pressure (<20 cmH₂O) in any group.
• Leakage at supraphysiologic pressure (20–80 cmH₂O) occurred in 90% of stapler, 80% of traditional, and 60% of barbed suture closures.
• Barbed sutures reduced ligation time significantly compared to traditional sutures (10.7 vs. 14.1 minutes, p < .01).
• Staplers remained fastest, with mean ligation time of 2.4 minutes.
• No knot failure or suture breakage was observed in barbed or traditional suture groups.
• Leakage in barbed sutures occurred mostly at the loop effector zone, but remained within acceptable limits.
• Barbed sutures may offer an effective alternative when staplers are unavailable, impractical, or cost-prohibitive.

🔍 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 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

🔍 Key Findings

• Local recurrence occurred in 17.8% of dogs, and was associated with significantly decreased survival (551 vs 1722 days, p = .0038).
• Lymph node metastasis occurred in 26.7% of dogs and was significantly associated with shorter disease-free interval (194 vs not reached, p = .0012) and lower survival (551 vs 1722 days, p = .043).
• Mitotic index >7 was significantly associated with higher recurrence (80% vs 22.5%, p = .02), shorter DFI (139 vs not reached days, p < .001), and shorter survival (247 vs 1722 days, p = .05).
• Infiltrative growth pattern was associated with shorter DFI (268 vs 1864 days, p = .011), but not with survival or recurrence.
• Incomplete margins (≤1 mm) were not significantly associated with recurrence (p = .085), but did correlate with shorter DFI (p = .043).
• Chemotherapy or radiation therapy was associated with shorter DFI and survival, likely due to selection bias for more aggressive disease.
• Tumor size >3 cm was associated with decreased survival (p = .031), but not with recurrence or DFI.
• Multinucleation and necrosis were not associated with prognosis outcomes.

🔍 Key Findings

Synovitis was present in 100% of canine stifles with CCL disease (n = 163).

The most frequent severity score was 3/5 (55.2%), followed by 4/5 (24.5%).

Higher synovitis scores were significantly associated with:

• Higher median cartilage scores (p = .042, OR = 2.1 per unit increase)
• Longer duration of clinical signs (p < .001, OR = 1.27 per month)

Bodyweight (p = .083) and sex (p = .17) were not statistically significant in multivariable analysis.

Bucket handle meniscal tears were not associated with synovitis severity.

Clinical implication: Earlier intervention may help reduce synovitis and slow OA progression.

🔍 Key Findings

• Adding a single locking throw significantly increased holding security for specific knots, including the surgeon's throw (p = .0001) and square throw (p = .0002).
• For the Miller's throw (p = .166) and strangle throw (p = .808), no significant improvement was observed with a locking throw.
• After locking throw addition, all five knots leaked at similar pressures (p = .5233), and these pressures exceeded physiologic arterial pressures.
• Surgeon's throw without a locking throw had the lowest leak pressure (62.5 ± 46.2 mm Hg), below physiologic arterial values.
• The square throw without locking also leaked below physiologic pressures (148.7 ± 109.4 mm Hg), though it outperformed the surgeon's throw.
• Miller’s and strangle throws performed significantly better than square or surgeon’s throws without locking, achieving leak pressures >200 mm Hg.
• All knots used 2-0 polyglyconate monofilament (Maxon); no comparisons across suture types or sizes were performed.
• Authors concluded that correct tensioning and locking throw addition are key to safe vascular ligation. Miller’s, strangle, or slip knots are preferred for challenging surgical fields.