🔍 Key Findings Summary

• 62 fractures in 61 dogs (44 lateral condylar, 18 intracondylar); mostly Spaniels
• LEAP plate used in all cases; minimal intraoperative contouring needed (1 French Bulldog)
• Overall complication rate: ~33%, mostly minor; 1 amputation due to catastrophic infection
• Radiographic healing:
  • Lateral epicondylar part healed in 100%
  • Condylar part healed in ~61.5% LCF and ~57.1% ICF
• Functional outcomes:
  • 87% returned to full limb use
  • Median LOAD score: 2 for LCF, 6.5 for ICF
• Design adjustments made post-study to strengthen weak zones around 3rd–4th screw holes

🔍 Key Findings

Population: 24 dogs (<8.5 months) undergoing unilateral cementless THR.
Growth Impact:

• Operated femurs showed ~11.5% less trochanteric growth than controls (p = .002).
• No significant difference in femoral diaphyseal + epiphyseal length (p = .712) or femur overall (p = .465).

Cortical Width:

• Increased significantly at 10 mm distal to trochanter (4.6% increase, p = .037) and at 50% femoral length (8.5% increase, p = .030).

Clinical relevance: Despite measurable changes, no clinically significant impairment to femoral length occurred.
Effect Sizes:

• Moderate negative for trochanteric growth.
• Moderate positive for proximal femoral width.

🔍 Key Findings

• Two-pin fixation had significantly greater strength (639 N) than single-pin fixation (426 N) in TTAF models (p = .003).
• Stiffness was also higher with two-pin constructs (72 N/mm vs 57 N/mm); statistically significant (p = .029).
• Both fixation types withstood loads greater than quadriceps force in dogs at a walk (240 N), indicating clinical viability.
• Failure was most commonly due to pin bending or pullout (82%), with fewer cases of ligament tearing or epiphyseal fracture.
• K-wire insertion angle (KWIA) did not significantly differ between fixation types (p = .13).
• Single larger pins delivered ~68% of the strength and ~83% of the stiffness of two smaller vertically aligned pins.
• Clinical implication: Two vertically aligned pins are biomechanically superior for TTAF fixation in canine models.
• Study used mature cadavers, which may underestimate loads and stiffness compared to immature clinical cases.

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• 5 juvenile dogs (mean age 7.2 months) with grade III–IV MPL were treated surgically.
• Most had femoral varus + external tibial torsion; some had shallow trochlear grooves.
• Distal femoral osteotomy was performed in 4/5 dogs; Tibial tuberosity transposition (TTT) in 3/5; Sulcoplasty in 2/5.
• Mean time to weight bearing: 9.8 ± 5.5 days; healing: 55 ± 24 days
• No reluxations, and final radiographic values for aLDFA and torsion were maintained at 1 year.
• One complication due to domestic trauma, not surgical failure.
• Early surgery appeared to preserve alignment and prevent deformity progression.

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• Sample: 51 elbows from 35 spaniel dogs
• Healing Rate: Subjective healing (complete or partial) in 80.3% of elbows; complete in 54.9%
• Objective HU analysis: Mean HU increased from 640 (pre-op) to 835 (follow-up) (p = .001)
• Age Effect: Dogs <14 months showed the greatest HU increase (+384 HU) and had wider fissures with less sclerosis
• Complications:
  • Major: 5 dogs (6 limbs); 4 related to fissure healing (7.8%), 2 related to PUO healing (3.9%)
  • Minor: 3 cases (5.8%) due to IM pin migration
• Sclerosis: Older dogs had more humeral condyle sclerosis, possibly limiting healing
• PUO Effectiveness: Confirmed cranio-proximal displacement of anconeal process; aimed to relieve humero-anconeal incongruity
• Control Comparison: Avoids complications associated with transcondylar screw (infection, breakage)

🔍 Key Findings

• Precontoured plates based on 3D-printed femurs produced accurate femoral alignment (median deviations <3 mm or <3° in all planes).
• Both fracture reduction system (FRS) and intramedullary pin (IMP) methods achieved near-anatomic alignment in cadaveric femoral fractures.
• FRS required fewer fluoroscopic images (median 7 vs. 26, P = .001), but longer surgical time (median 43 vs. 29 min, P = .011).
• Sagittal plane alignment: FRS led to mild increased recurvatum (median 2.9°), but still within near-anatomic limits (<5°).
• Axial alignment: Both groups achieved near-anatomic torsion (<10°), though one IMP case had acceptable (not near-anatomic) alignment.
• Custom drill guides and FRS improved fluoroscopy efficiency but were cumbersome and time-consuming to use. Authors do not recommend current prototype for clinical use.
• Clinical significance: 3D printed models allow accurate precontouring, reducing intra-op plate adjustment; custom guides may reduce radiation exposure for the surgical team.

🔍 Key Findings

• Refracture occurred in 5.5% of limbs, with higher incidence in the plate removal group (12.5%) vs. non-removal (3.5%).
• In the non-plate removal group, refractures occurred at the most distal screw site, linked to greater screw position change during growth (OR 1.79, p=0.04).
• Screw-to-bone diameter ratio (SBDR) >0.4 was a significant risk factor for refracture in the plate retention group.
• In the plate removal group, refractures occurred at the original fracture site, associated with lower pixel value ratio (bone mineral density) and reduced radial thickness.
• Implant-induced osteoporosis (IIO) beneath the plate likely contributed to refracture risk after plate removal.
• Younger age at fracture (<6 months) was associated with higher refracture risk due to ongoing radial growth and shifting screw position.
• No significant association was found between refracture and plate type (locking vs conventional), fixation method, or ulnar union.
• Recommendations include careful SBDR sizing, motion restriction, and cautious plate removal decisions in growing dogs.

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• Retrospective study of 33 fractures in 31 cats with Salter–Harris I or II distal femoral fractures
• Used 1 intramedullary Steinmann pin + 1 laterally placed antirotational pin
• 96.9% achieved full functional outcome at mid-term follow-up
• No implant migration or removal required
• Minor complications: 2 seromas; Major: 3 (patellar luxation [2], osteomyelitis [1])
• Growth plate remained open in 27.3% of cases at 6–8 weeks post-op

🔍 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

• 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.