🔍 Key Findings

• Postoperative complications occurred in 20% of stifles, including 7.5% minor, 10.3% surgical, and 3.4% medical complications.
• The PROSPECT machine-learning model achieved high predictive accuracy: 92.3% for surgical complications, 91.9% for minor, and 94.3% for medical.
• Top predictive features included surgical technique, implant type, patient age, and surgeon identity.
• Surgeon-specific variables influenced predictions, indicating operator experience and technique matter.
• Engineered interaction features (e.g., breed × implant) were more predictive than raw clinical data alone.
• Rottweiler, intact male status, and higher bodyweight were associated with increased complication risk; Labradors had decreased risk.
• Model calibration was strong, especially for high and low probability predictions; midrange predictions were less reliable.
• The model supports individualized, probabilistic risk assessment, which could inform client counseling and tailored postoperative care.

PROSPECT = Predicting Risk Of Surgical compli­cations aftEr CCWO and TPLO

🔍 Key Findings

• 55 cases (49 dogs, 6 cats) with nonarticular tibial fractures were treated using linear ESF with a minimally invasive approach
• All fractures achieved radiographic union; no unacceptable outcomes were reported
• 40% complication rate, mostly minor (82%), primarily pin-tract morbidity; major complications (7%) included osteomyelitis and refracture
• Open fractures had significantly more major complications than closed ones (P = .019)
• Use of intraoperative imaging (72% cases) reduced surgery time but did not improve alignment (P > .05)
• Median surgery time: 74 min with imaging vs. 100 min without (P = .046)
• TPA was lower than normal in both dogs and cats, but did not correlate with poor outcomes
• 62% had full clinical recovery, and 38% had acceptable outcomes at fixator removal

🔍 Key Findings

• Spinal stabilization with 3D-printed patient-specific drill guides (3D-PSGs) was safe, with no immediate perioperative complications reported.
• 84% of pedicle screws were optimally placed, and only 0.5% breached the spinal canal, reflecting high placement accuracy.
• 80% of dogs experienced no neurologic deterioration postoperatively, indicating reliable short-term safety.
• 3D-PSGs were accurate and reproducible, even across multiple institutions and surgeons.
• Mid-term outcomes were favorable: all dogs were ambulatory, and 90% had static or improved neurologic signs.
• 7 of 10 mid-term follow-ups showed abnormal gait, though owners rated lifestyle ≥3/5, suggesting acceptable function.
• 3D-printed guides enabled precise pedicle screw placement in deformed vertebrae, expanding options in small breeds.
• One dog suffered a T4 spinous process fracture due to overextension of PMMA cement, emphasizing the need for cement placement caution.

🔍 Key Findings

• Objective: Evaluate feasibility and accuracy of 3D-printed patient-specific drill guides for iliosacral screw placement in cadaver dogs.
• N = 10 canine cadavers (20 hemipelves); screw placement done using fluoroscopic-assisted patient-specific guides (PSG).
• Median cortical breach grade: 0 (IQR 0–1) for all screws.
  19/20 screws breached sacral canal wall (all ≤ grade 2), but no screws breached canal contents (grade 3).
• Median trajectory deviation: 0.88° transverse, 0.72° dorsal.
• Procedure time: Median 7.2 minutes for guide placement and drilling.
• Conclusions: PSG-assisted screw placement was safe, accurate, and fast, offering clinical potential in pelvic trauma.

🔍 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.

🔍 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

• C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) levels remained low at 3 and 6 months after uncomplicated THA in dogs.
• No significant differences were observed in CRP or SAA between preoperative, 3-month, and 6-month time points.
• Mean CRP values were 3.8 mg/L pre-op, 0.8 mg/L at 3 months, and 1.4 mg/L at 6 months.
• Mean SAA values were 13.9 mg/L pre-op, 14.1 mg/L at 3 months, and 18.4 mg/L at 6 months.
• All dogs recovered normally with no complications or persistent signs of inflammation at follow-up.
• Study establishes baseline CRP and SAA levels for dogs post-THA, useful for comparison in suspected PJI.
• These markers may help differentiate periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) if values deviate from baseline post-THA.
• NSAID therapy was discontinued by 6 months in all dogs, possibly reflecting decreased inflammation.

🔍 Key Findings

• 14 joints from 7 cat cadavers underwent AA-HTS successfully.
• Median surgical time: 46.5 min (29–144), including 7 min for arthroscopy and 40 min for toggle placement.
• Intraoperative complications in 5/14 joints: 4 related to femoral tunnel creation, 1 toggle lodging.
• Toggle passage through femoral tunnel was the most challenging step, mildly difficult in 6 joints.
• Cartilage injury occurred in 10 joints, but all were minor (<10% of cartilage area).
• 13 deviations from planned technique were identified (8 major, 5 minor), all involving femoral tunnel placement.
• No neurovascular, intrapelvic, or major periarticular injuries occurred.
• Authors conclude: AA-HTS is feasible in cats, but associated with high rates of minor iatrogenic cartilage damage, intra-op complications, and technique deviations.

🔍 Key Findings

• Complication rate for subdermal plexus flaps (SPFs) in dogs was 53.6%.
• Skin staples had a numerically higher complication rate (72.2%) than sutures (49.3%), but not statistically significant due to small sample size.
• Most common complication was wound dehiscence (35%), followed by seroma (14%) and wound discharge (14%).
• Increased body weight was significantly associated with higher complication risk (OR = 1.056 per kg; p = .029).
• Advancement flaps were associated with a lower incidence of complications on univariable analysis (p < .001).
• Head region flap closures had fewer complications, while proximal pelvic limb closures had the highest complication rate.
• Age was a risk factor—each additional year increased odds of complications (OR = 1.019; p = .004).
• Closure technique did not significantly influence complication severity, though staple use was numerically worse.

🔍 Key Findings

• Luxoid hip dysplasia (LH) was present in 8% of THA cases and significantly increased risk of major complications (p < .001).
• Intraoperative fissures/fractures were 3x more likely in LH dogs vs non-LH (39% vs 16%, p = .001).
• Dorsal luxation was more frequent in LH dogs (28% vs 4%, p = .019).
• Acetabular cup placement with ALO >35° was associated with luxation in LH dogs.
• Morphologic abnormalities (e.g., femoral valgus, lateralization/medialization of cortices) were common in LH and may complicate implantation.
• Despite higher risk, 94% of LH dogs achieved satisfactory outcomes after appropriate revisions.
• Younger age and lighter weight characterized LH dogs (mean age 14.7 months vs 40.9 months, p < .001).
• All LH dogs were treated with cementless stems; prophylactic cerclage was rarely used.