
Quiz Question
In Nicolas 2024 et al., what was a key advantage of the lateral scapular osteotomy approach versus dorsal or ventral routes?
🔍 Key Findings Summary
- The lateral approach via scapular osteotomy allowed safe access to the T1-2 foramen in a French Bulldog with foraminal disc extrusion.
- A mini-hemilaminectomy was performed, preserving articular facets.
- The dog had no neurologic deficits postoperatively, returned to ambulation within 24 hours, and was discharged in 3 days.
- At 10 months, CT confirmed excellent scapular healing and no recurrence.
- Double 2.4-mm locking plates provided stable fixation across the scapular spine.
- The technique avoided thoracic entry or dorsal spine dissection, suggesting a less invasive alternative for select T1-2 foraminal cases.
Veterinary and Comparative Orthopedics and Traumatology
2
2024
Scapular Osteotomy for Lateral Access to a T1-2 Foraminal Disc Extrusion, Treated by Mini-Hemilaminectomy in a Dog
2024-2-VCOT-nicolas-4
In Scott 2025 et al., on acetabular cup revision, what was the most common indication for revision surgery?
🔍 Key Findings
Population: 9 dogs underwent revision of osteointegrated acetabular cups after total hip arthroplasty (THA)
Revision Indications:
- 7 luxations (5 ventral, 2 craniodorsal)
- 1 femoral stem fracture
- 1 aseptic stem loosening
Implants:
- 8 BFX cups, 1 Helica; all revised to BFX
- 7/9 required a larger cup than original
Cup removal: Required sectioning with a high-speed burr and modular osteotome; removal fragments extracted
Complications:
- 1 recurrent luxation
- 1 low-grade infection with possible metallic debris-associated osteolysis
- 2 femoral fissures managed intraoperatively
Outcomes:
- Good to excellent function in 6/6 dogs available at median 621 days
- Minimal complications with success in re-osteointegration of new cup
Clinical takeaway: Revision of stable, ingrown cups is feasible and offers an alternative to pelvic osteotomies; typically requires upsizing
Veterinary Surgery
3
2025
Revision of osteointegrated acetabular cup prostheses in nine dogs
2025-3-VS-scott-1
In Scott 2025 et al., on acetabular cup revision, what was the functional outcome in dogs that completed follow-up?
🔍 Key Findings
Population: 9 dogs underwent revision of osteointegrated acetabular cups after total hip arthroplasty (THA)
Revision Indications:
- 7 luxations (5 ventral, 2 craniodorsal)
- 1 femoral stem fracture
- 1 aseptic stem loosening
Implants:
- 8 BFX cups, 1 Helica; all revised to BFX
- 7/9 required a larger cup than original
Cup removal: Required sectioning with a high-speed burr and modular osteotome; removal fragments extracted
Complications:
- 1 recurrent luxation
- 1 low-grade infection with possible metallic debris-associated osteolysis
- 2 femoral fissures managed intraoperatively
Outcomes:
- Good to excellent function in 6/6 dogs available at median 621 days
- Minimal complications with success in re-osteointegration of new cup
Clinical takeaway: Revision of stable, ingrown cups is feasible and offers an alternative to pelvic osteotomies; typically requires upsizing
Veterinary Surgery
3
2025
Revision of osteointegrated acetabular cup prostheses in nine dogs
2025-3-VS-scott-5
In Perez Neto 2025 et al., on hip resurfacing arthroplasty, what was the impact of implant positioning (neutral vs valgus) on biomechanical performance?
🔍 Key Findings
- In an ex vivo study of 20 canine femur pairs, implantation of a novel hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) prosthesis reduced maximum load (ML) by 22% and load at collapse (LC) by 27% vs. intact controls (p ≤ 0.05).
- Displacement at maximum load (DML), displacement at collapse (DC), and stiffness (k) were not significantly different between prosthesis and control groups.
- Both groups showed similar failure patterns, with 92% failing at the femoral neck.
- All prosthetic femurs still withstood ~6.2× body weight — exceeding estimated in vivo peak loads (~1.64× BW).
- Prosthesis positioning (neutral vs valgus) had no significant effect on biomechanical outcomes.
- Implant design preserved more metaphyseal bone stock than total hip replacement, possibly explaining the smaller load reduction compared to other short-stem prostheses.
- The press-fit cobalt–chromium design with conical stem allowed full contact and stress distribution over the femoral head/neck.
- Authors conclude the device has adequate immediate biomechanical strength for clinical use, though long-term in vivo studies are needed.
Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology
4
2025
Biomechanical Evaluation of a Femoral Implant for Hip Resurfacing Arthroplasty in Dogs: An Ex Vivo Study
2025-4-VCOT-perezneto-5
In Fitzpatrick 2024 et al., on ESF for pelvic fractures in cats, what was the reported overall fracture healing time?
🔍 Key Findings
- External skeletal fixation (ESF) was successfully applied to a variety of pelvic fracture types in cats, including sacroiliac luxations and ilial body fractures.
- All fractures achieved radiographic union within 9 weeks, even in comminuted or complex configurations.
- No intraoperative or long-term complications were reported during the study period.
- Implant loosening was observed radiographically in 13% of cases, with 8% of pins found to be loose at frame removal.
- ESF enabled indirect fracture reduction using components as handles, with a limited open approach minimizing soft tissue disruption.
- No iatrogenic neurological deficits were observed, supporting safe pin placement near neurovascular structures, although some cats presented with pre-existing neurologic signs.
- No cases required revision surgery, and all cats underwent stabilization solely with ESF as per study inclusion criteria.
- Postoperative hospitalization ranged from 2 to 5 days, though no comparison to other fixation types was evaluated.
Veterinary Surgery
7
2024
External skeletal fixation for the treatment of pelvic fractures in cats
2024-7-VS-fitzpatrick-1
In Woelfel 2022 et al., on cervical locked facets, which vertebral levels were exclusively affected in this case series?
🔍 Key Findings
- Locked facet injuries in dogs involved unilateral dorsal displacement of the cranial articular process of the caudal vertebra, most commonly at C5/6 or C6/7.
- All affected dogs were small/toy breeds, typically following trauma (most often attacks by larger dogs).
- Neurologic severity ranged from ambulatory tetraparesis to tetraplegia, often with thoracic limb deficits more severe than pelvic limbs — suggesting a central cord syndrome-like pattern.
- CT and MRI revealed axial rotation, subluxation, and articular process displacement; MRI showed T2 hyperintensity, nerve root impingement, and soft tissue changes.
- Surgical treatment included ventral fixation with screws, pins, and PMMA, and one case required dorsal facetectomy for reduction.
- Medical management, including external coaptation or rest, also resulted in functional recovery in select cases.
- All dogs with follow-up data (8/8) had functional recovery, with nonambulatory dogs regaining ambulation in a median of 4 weeks.
- No consistent differences in outcome were observed between surgical and nonsurgical management, suggesting locked facets may be biomechanically stable.
Veterinary Surgery
1
2022
Subaxial cervical articular process subluxation and dislocation: Cervical locked facet injuries in dogs
2022-1-VS-woelfel-1
In Becker 2026 et al., on lumbar spine PLC biomechanics, what explanation was given for the preservation of rotational stability despite PLCs?
🔍 Key Findings
- Each PLC significantly increased passive range of motion (ROM) in the sagittal and dorsal planes (p < .05).
- No significant change was observed in rotational ROM after either PLC.
- First PLC increased sagittal ROM by 2.4° (23% increase); second PLC added 1.0° (8% increase).
- Dorsal ROM increased by 2.3° after first PLC and 1.5° after second PLC.
- Second PLC did not cause greater destabilization than the first — both contributed similarly to ROM increase.
- Failure testing showed that spinal segments with two PLCs failed at 13 Nm, while native spines withstood up to 25 Nm, suggesting reduced load-bearing capacity but not clinically significant under normal conditions.
- Rotational stability was preserved, possibly due to intact facet joints and lamina, which play a larger role in rotation.
- Study supports the clinical feasibility of two consecutive PLCs, but cautions against excessive bone removal due to potential for spinal instability.
Veterinary Surgery
1
2026
Influence of two consecutive partial lateral corpectomies on passive motion of the canine lumbar spine
2026-1-VS-becker-5
In Dalton 2023 et al., In Minimally invasive acetabular fracture repair in dogs, what was the clinical outcome of the Chihuahua case treated with minimally invasive acetabular repair?
🔍 Key Findings
- Feasibility study in 5 canine cadavers plus 1 clinical case (Chihuahua, 5.5 kg).
- Technique used two small approaches (caudal and craniolateral) connected with an epiperiosteal tunnel.
- Plates were precontoured on mirrored 3D-printed hemipelves to improve fit and reduce intraoperative bending.
- Cadaver outcomes: fracture gap <2 mm, step defect <1 mm, pelvic angulation <5°.
- Sciatic nerve injury was minimal: 1/5 cadavers had a mild indentation; others had no gross injury.
- Median total surgical time: ~46 minutes in cadavers; incisions ~5 cm.
- Clinical Chihuahua case: weight-bearing within 24 hrs, radiographic union at 3 months; one screw fractured but no adverse effect.
- Authors conclude: MIAF with 3D printing is feasible and accurate, but requires further evaluation before routine use.
Veterinary Surgery
7
2023
Minimally invasive repair of acetabular fractures in dogs: Ex vivo feasibility study and case report
2023-7-VS-dalton-5
In Fitzpatrick 2024 et al., on ESF for pelvic fractures in cats, what was concluded regarding neurological complications?
🔍 Key Findings
- External skeletal fixation (ESF) was successfully applied to a variety of pelvic fracture types in cats, including sacroiliac luxations and ilial body fractures.
- All fractures achieved radiographic union within 9 weeks, even in comminuted or complex configurations.
- No intraoperative or long-term complications were reported during the study period.
- Implant loosening was observed radiographically in 13% of cases, with 8% of pins found to be loose at frame removal.
- ESF enabled indirect fracture reduction using components as handles, with a limited open approach minimizing soft tissue disruption.
- No iatrogenic neurological deficits were observed, supporting safe pin placement near neurovascular structures, although some cats presented with pre-existing neurologic signs.
- No cases required revision surgery, and all cats underwent stabilization solely with ESF as per study inclusion criteria.
- Postoperative hospitalization ranged from 2 to 5 days, though no comparison to other fixation types was evaluated.
Veterinary Surgery
7
2024
External skeletal fixation for the treatment of pelvic fractures in cats
2024-7-VS-fitzpatrick-3
In Papacella-Beugger 2024 et al., which anatomical limitation required a custom reference array?
🔍 Key Findings Summary
- Cadaveric study using 3 miniature breed dogs (6 hemipelves) to assess spinal neuronavigation accuracy for lumbar plate fixation
- 20 screws placed using CBCT-based navigation with real-time tracking
- 85% (17/20) of screws were safely and accurately placed
- Median deviation of screw entry points from plan: 1.8 mm
- All 3 misplaced screws occurred in a single cadaver, attributed to inexperienced drill handling
- Custom 3D-printed lightweight tracking array was necessary due to small spinous processes in miniature dogs
- No iatrogenic canal perforations or vertebral damage in any specimen
- Concludes neuronavigation offers precise, safe placement of spinal implants in small dogs, with minimal anatomic disruption
Veterinary and Comparative Orthopedics and Traumatology
6
2024
Spinal Neuronavigation for Lumbar Plate Fixation in Miniature Breed Dogs
2024-6-VCOT-papacella-beugger-5
Quiz Results
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Key Findings
