🔍 Key Findings

Objective: Validate a new 3D CT-based method for measuring tibial torsion in dogs with MPL, comparing it to a traditional method.

Sample: 40 tibiae from client-owned dogs with MPL (primarily small-breed).

Repeatability (intraobserver):

• New method: ICC = 0.99 → excellent agreement

Reproducibility (interobserver):

• New method: ICC = 0.83 → high agreement
• Traditional method: ICC = 0.52 → moderate agreement

Torsion angle measurements:

• New method avg: 16.00° ± 8.77
• Traditional method avg: 8.76° ± 4.92

Conclusion: The new method is more repeatable, reproducible, and provides higher torsion values than the traditional Aper method, especially reliable for small-breed dogs.

🔍 Key Findings

• Lateral humeral condylar fractures (LHCF) were most common, comprising 63.6% of cases.
• Transcondylar screw (TCS) + K-wire(s) fixation had a 7.62x higher risk of major complications compared to other methods (p = .009).
• All cases of TCS migration occurred in the TCS + K-wire group; none occurred with plate fixation.
• Overall complication rate was 40.9%, with 29.5% being major and requiring intervention.
• Contralateral humeral intracondylar fissures (HIF) were found in 58.1% of French Bulldogs with CT data.
• No significant association between age and presence of HIF, but fissure length increased with age (R = 0.47, p = .048).
• Younger, lighter dogs had higher complication and screw migration rates, possibly due to softer bone and smaller condyles.
• TCS + plate fixation had the lowest complication rate, suggesting biomechanical superiority.

🔍 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

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 Summary

• Study Design: Retrospective study of 100 radiographs using in silico and clinical data
• Mean preoperative TPA: 28.6°, higher in small dogs than large (p = .02)
• Mean planned TPA (in silico): 7.6°, not achieving 5° target (p < .01)
• Median postoperative TPA: 5.5° overall; higher in small dogs (7°) vs large (4.5°) (p = .06)
• Postoperative ostectomy position: More distal than recommended; average = 8.6 mm
• Increased distalization → greater under-correction of TPA (p = .01)
• Most accurate correction occurred when ostectomy was ≤7.5 mm from patellar tendon
• Wedge angle categories (TPA-Pre minus 5–2°) were used based on pre-op TPA

🔍 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

• 11 dogs, 13 fractures (mostly Salter-Harris type I) were repaired with FGPP using Kirschner wires.
• 10/13 fractures achieved satisfactory healing with good limb function at ~43 days median follow-up.
• Major complications occurred in 5 dogs: intra-articular pin placement, implant migration (2), implant failure with nonunion, and malunion.
• 2 dogs presenting >15 days post-injury with radiographic remodeling were poor candidates → higher risk of nonunion/malunion.
• Preoperative displacement was mostly mild (10/13 fractures); these had better outcomes than chronic or severely displaced cases.
• Median surgical time: 60 minutes (range 45–75), all performed percutaneously without conversion to open.
• Elective pin removal was performed in 5 cases; migration occurred with both short and long cut wires.
• Femoral neck resorption (“apple-coring”) was rare (2/10 healed cases) and thought to be less frequent than after ORIF due to reduced vascular disruption.

🔍 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

• Proximal Tibia Metatarsal Angle (PTMTA) was significantly increased in dogs with grade 3 and 4 MPL, making it a useful marker for severity.
• PTMTA strongly correlated with Tibial Torsion Angle (TTA) (r = 0.733) and Crural Rotation Angle (CRA) (r = 0.643), integrating multiple morphological deformities.
• Grade 4 MPL cases showed significant internal tibial torsion, increased mMPTA, and decreased MDTT/PTW—indicating both rotation and medial displacement.
• DTMTA was significantly more negative in grade 4, indicating a consistent pattern of internal foot rotation with disease severity.
• PTMTA can be visually assessed during palpation, offering preoperative utility without CT.
• Among toy poodles, PTMTA showed significant differences even between grades 3 and normal, suggesting breed-specific severity patterns.
• Corrective osteotomy may need to address tibial as well as femoral deformities in severe MPL cases with high PTMTA.
• Younger dogs with grade 4 MPL had more severe deformities, possibly due to early onset or developmental progression.

🔍 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.