Quiz Question
In Clarke 2022 et al., on nasopharyngeal collapse severity, which median percentage collapse was found in brachycephalic dogs preoperatively?
🔍 Key Findings
- Nasopharyngeal collapse was significantly more severe in brachycephalic dogs (median 65%) than in nonbrachycephalic controls (median 10%) (p = .0001).
- Postoperative fluoroscopy showed no significant improvement in nasopharyngeal collapse (p = .0505), despite reported clinical improvement.
- 70% of brachycephalic dogs had ≥50% collapse; 26% had 100% collapse preoperatively.
- All owners of surgical cases reported clinical improvement, including reduced respiratory noise and improved exercise tolerance.
- Surgical techniques used included combinations of alaplasty, staphylectomy, sacculectomy, and tonsillectomy.
- Improvement in nasopharyngeal dimensions was variable, with some dogs improving ≥45%, some worsening, and one dog showing a 100% increase post-op.
- Pharyngeal collapse may not be solely anatomical; neuromuscular dysfunction (e.g., reduced pharyngeal dilator muscle function) may contribute.
- Current surgical techniques may not address functional airway abnormalities, suggesting a need for multimodal or targeted interventions.
Veterinary Surgery
6
2022
Severity of nasopharyngeal collapse before and after corrective upper airway surgery in brachycephalic dogs
2022-6-VS-clarke-1
In Ellis 2024 et al., which HU metric showed the best interobserver agreement?
🔍 Key Findings Summary
- 86 elbows assessed: 32 Guide Dogs, 11 Border Collies
- Guide Dogs showed significantly higher HU values in:
- MCP: min (p = 0.022), mean (p < 0.01), max (p < 0.01)
- Humeral trochlea: mean (p < 0.01), max (p < 0.01)
- Results imply breed-associated HU variation, not necessarily pathologic sclerosis
- Relevance: Important to avoid false positives for elbow dysplasia during CT-based breeding screens
- Good interobserver agreement for mean HU values (ICC ~0.82–0.90)
Veterinary and Comparative Orthopedics and Traumatology
3
2024
Comparison of Hounsfield Units within the Humeral Trochlea and Medial Coronoid Process in a Population of Labrador X Golden Retriever Guide Dogs and Border Collies
2024-3-VCOT-ellis-5
In Vodnarek 2024 et al., on nasopharyngeal fluoroscopy, which method showed the **highest intraobserver agreement** for ΔL?
🔍 Key Findings
- Study population: 36 brachycephalic dogs (20 French bulldogs, 16 pugs).
- Objective: Compare intra- and interobserver reliability for fluoroscopic measurement of nasopharyngeal collapse using two methods:
- Functional method
- Anatomically adjusted method
- Key measurements: Minimum (LMin), maximum (LMax) dorsoventral height, and dynamic change ratio (ΔL).
- Outcomes:
- Intraobserver agreement for ΔL was higher with the functional method (ICC 0.751 vs. 0.576).
- Observer 1 (radiologist) showed excellent repeatability (>0.9 ICC).
- Agreement for grading collapse was only moderate (κ ~0.49–0.53), worse than ΔL-based agreement.
- ΔL ≥ 0.5 to <1 = partial collapse; ΔL = 1 = complete collapse.
Veterinary Surgery
1
2024
Reliability of fluoroscopic examination of nasopharyngeal dorsoventral dimension change in pugs and French bulldogs
2024-1-VS-vodnarek-2
In Adrian 2024 et al., on feline pelvic fracture stabilization, how did the median sacral index change from immediate postop to follow-up?
🔍 Key Findings
- 20 cats with pelvic fractures treated with SOP plates and cortical screws
- Full function reported in all patients per FMPI follow-up
- Screw loosening in 3/20 SOP cases; implant removal in 3 cats
- Median sacral index decrease at follow-up: 5.7%; mostly mild narrowing
- Complications: 5 major (3 SOP removals, 2 trochanter osteotomy issues); 20 minor
- SOP plate shown feasible even in challenging configurations; good functional outcomes
Veterinary and Comparative Orthopedics and Traumatology
1
2024
Use of Locking Plates Fixed with Cortical Screws for Pelvic Fracture Repair in 20 Cats
2024-1-VCOT-adrian-3
In Raleigh 2022 et al., on pericardiectomy complications, what preoperative finding may serve as a warning sign for intraoperative VF?
🔍 Key Findings
- Ventricular fibrillation (VF) occurred in 3% of pericardiectomy cases across reporting institutions.
- 14 of 16 dogs (88%) that developed intraoperative VF died, indicating high mortality.
- Electrosurgical devices were used in 15/16 dogs; VF onset coincided with their use in 8 dogs, suggesting a potential but unproven association.
- Preoperative arrhythmias were seen in 7 dogs (e.g., VPCs, VT, bradycardia), possibly serving as early warning signs.
- Thoracoscopic approach was used in 75% of cases; however, conversion to open surgery was required in 9/13 thoracoscopic procedures after VF onset.
- Defibrillation was attempted in 13 dogs, but only 3 converted to sinus rhythm, and only 2 survived postoperatively.
- VF may result from stray current or cardiac manipulation; bipolar energy devices were implicated despite lower theoretical risk.
- Preventative strategies include judicious electrosurgery use, close ECG monitoring, rapid CPR preparedness, and preop cardiac risk assessment.
Veterinary Surgery
4
2022
The development of ventricular fibrillation as a complication of pericardiectomy in 16 dogs
2022-4-VS-raleigh-4
In González Montaño 2023 et al., on traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts (TPP), what was the most common concurrent thoracic injury in patients with traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts?
🔍 Key Findings
- Traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts (TPP) were diagnosed in 11 patients (9 dogs, 2 cats) using CT after blunt trauma.
- TPPs were identified on radiographs in 64% of cases that were CT-confirmed, highlighting the superior sensitivity of CT.
- Most cases (7/10) were managed conservatively, with complete recovery and no TPP-related mortality.
- Thoracic surgery (lung lobectomy) was performed in 3 dogs, due to persistent pneumothorax or large TPP with perceived risk of complications.
- All pneumothorax cases were managed with thoracostomy tubes, and chest drains were used in 73% of cases.
- Pneumothorax was present in 100% of patients, often bilateral, and pulmonary contusions were reported in 73%.
- One cat was euthanized due to unrelated maxillofacial trauma; no deaths were attributed to TPP itself.
- Long-term follow-up (median 768 days) revealed only 1 case with possible TPP-related pneumonia; others had no complications.
Veterinary Surgery
4
2023
Traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts in nine dogs and two cats
2023-4-VS-gonzalezmontano-2
In Gibson 2024 et al., on mediastinoscopy in dogs, what was the most common **postprocedural finding on CT** after the procedure?
🔍 Key Findings
- Mediastinoscopy was technically feasible in large-breed canine cadavers using a SILS port and standard laparoscopic instruments.
- The left tracheobronchial lymph node (LTBLN) was successfully retrieved in all cadavers (7/7), while cranial mediastinal lymph nodes were retrieved in only 1/7.
- Postprocedural pleural gas was observed in 4/7 cadavers, likely due to CO₂ insufflation.
- Instrument limitations with a human-designed mediastinoscope led to preference for laparoscopic instruments and SILS port for improved access and visualization.
- Complication rates were low, with only two minor (Grade 1) adverse events (pleural tear and LN rupture).
- Obesity and mediastinal fat were cited as potential challenges to visualization and node retrieval.
- NASA-TLX workload scores were lowest for tracheobronchial nodes, indicating these were the easiest to access.
- The authors concluded this approach may facilitate minimally invasive biopsy or resection of cranial mediastinal masses in live dogs, but clinical trials are needed to validate safety and efficacy.
Veterinary Surgery
5
2024
Evaluation of mediastinoscopy for cranial mediastinal and tracheobronchial lymphadenectomy in canine cadavers
2024-5-VS-gibson-2
In Chen 2024 et al., on pressure-measurement tools, why is high precision potentially more critical than accuracy when monitoring portal pressures during PSS ligation?
🔍 Key Findings
- WMg (water manometer with gauge) was the most accurate and precise pressure measurement device.
- APT (arterial pressure transducer) was less accurate than WMg but still precise; it differed significantly from the gold standard (WMr).
- CCT (Compass CT) was the least accurate and precise and differed significantly from the set pressure.
- Mean differences from set pressure were smallest for WMg (−0.020 cm H2O), moderate for APT (−0.390 cm H2O), and largest for CCT (−1.267 cm H2O).
- All devices showed excellent interobserver (ICC = 1.000) and intraobserver agreement (ICC range 0.985–0.998).
- Even though the CCT performed least well, all devices had mean errors ≤1.3 cm H2O, indicating potential clinical utility.
- WMg or WMr should be preferred in surgical settings due to superior accuracy and precision.
- Measurement precision is more critical than accuracy during PSS surgery, as a 1 mm Hg (~1.3 cm H2O) increase in portal pressure raises odds of poor outcomes by 9%.
Veterinary Surgery
4
2024
Accuracy, precision, and interobserver and intraobserver agreements related to pressure-measurement devices
2024-4-VS-chen-3
In Lomas 2025 et al., on DPO and dorsolateral subluxation, what was the mean DLS score immediately postoperatively?
🔍 Key Findings
- DPO significantly improved femoral head coverage, increasing mean DLS from 36.1% to 71.4% postoperatively (p < 0.001).
- No significant change in DLS between immediate postoperative and follow-up scans, suggesting stable surgical outcomes over time.
- Greater plate angle (30°) yielded larger DLS improvement (mean increase: 39.8%) compared to 25° and 20° plates.
- Only 3 hips had post-op DLS scores <55%, indicating most patients had lower risk of osteoarthritis progression.
- No correlation found between DLS improvement and age, body weight, or side of surgery, suggesting broad applicability.
- CT was used for DLS measurement in simulated weight-bearing, improving precision over radiographic methods.
- Major limitations included small sample size, multiple surgeons, and variable sedation vs anesthesia during imaging.
- DPO confirmed as effective for reducing dorsolateral subluxation, improving coxofemoral joint congruency in dysplastic dogs.
Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology
2
2025
The Impact of Double Pelvic Osteotomy on Dorsolateral Subluxation in 24 Dogs
2025-2-VCOT-lomas-1
In Zann 2023 et al., on proximal humeral OC, which diagnostic imaging modality measured greater lesion size compared to the other?
🔍 Key Findings
- All dogs developed progressive osteoarthritis (OA) after surgical debridement of proximal humeral OC.
- Ipsilateral muscle atrophy and reduced shoulder range of motion were common, particularly in unilaterally affected dogs.
- Arthroscopically, lesions showed incomplete cartilage infilling even years after surgery, averaging only ~37% infilling.
- Synovitis was present in all joints, with moderate-to-severe hypertrophy and vascularity scores.
- CT identified OC lesions as deeper and wider than radiography, and all affected joints had more advanced OA than contralateral limbs (P = .001 radiograph, P = .005 CT).
- Kinetic gait analysis showed no significant differences in peak vertical force or impulse, but a subtle 4.4% asymmetric load reduction on the operated limb.
- Median LOAD score was 6, indicating mild owner-perceived disability despite measurable clinical and imaging abnormalities.
- Cartilage infilling was incomplete in all cases, with no lesion exceeding 60% restoration, raising questions about the healing potential of debridement alone.
Veterinary Surgery
6
2023
Long-term outcome of dogs treated by surgical debridement of proximal humeral osteochondrosis
2023-6-VS-zann-3-7d141
Quiz Results
You answered 7 out of 10 questions correctly
Key Findings