NEW!

26 ORTHOPAEDICS VP MARCH 2016
A round-up
of the latest
literature
Long term outcomes in 321
dogs undergoing total hip
arthroplasty
Luca Vezzoni and others, Vezzoni
Veterinary Clinic, Cremona, Italy
Total hip arthroplasty has been
performed in dogs since 1976, first
with cemented prostheses and then
using cementless devices after 1988.
The Zurich cementless total hip
arthroplasty was developed at the
University of Zurich in the late 1990s
and is inserted within the medial cortex
of the femur with locking screws,
rather than a traditional press-fit
design. There is anecdotal evidence of
an increase in complications in cases
involving younger dogs, which it has
been suggested may be related to the
smaller size of the devices used in
immature dogs.
The authors describe a study of the
complications seen in 439 arthroplasty
procedures in 321 individuals treated
using a Zurich prosthesis. The dogs
were classified as being aged either
above or below 11 months, and all
cases were followed up for at least
two years. Their results show that the
frequency of complications was less
than 20% in both the juvenile and adult
groups. Complications were primarily
related to an increase in body condition
following surgery.
Veterinary Surgery 44 (8): 921-929.
An ultrasound-guided
technique for hip injections in
lame dogs
Chiara Bergamino and others,
University College, Dublin
Intra-articular treatment is commonly
used in human patients with hip
osteoarthritis with injections given
under ultrasound guidance to ensure
safety and accuracy. The authors
investigated the ultrasound anatomy
of the canine hip to determine the
feasibility of giving ultrasound-guided
injections in both the diagnosis and
treatment of canine osteoarthritis.
Using canine cadavers in lateral
recumbency they were able to locate
and inject contrast medium into the
anechoic gap between the femoral head
and acetabular surface. Based on data
from post-injection radiography, the
accuracy was 81.8% at the first attempt
and 100% at the second.
Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound 56
(4): 456-461.
Outcomes of tibiotarsal
fracture repair procedures in
37 raptors
Irene Bueno and others, University
of Minnesota
Raptors are susceptible to bone
fractures caused by collisions with
moving or stationary objects.
A number of different surgical
techniques have been described for
repairing such injuries. The authors
describe the outcomes when using the
external skeletal fixator intramedullary
pin tie-in technique (TIF) for the
management of tibiotarsal fractures.
In 31 of 37 cases (84%), the fracture
was successfully treated with surgical
reduction and TIF application. In 20
cases the bird recovered sufficient
function to be rehabilitated and released
into the wild.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical
Association 247 (10): 1,154-1,160.
Elastographic evaluation of
tendon and ligament injuries of
the equine distal limb
Meghann Lustgarten and others,
North Carolina State University
Ultrasonography is now the primary
method used in diagnosing tendon
and ligament injuries in the horse.
Elastography is a relatively new
ultrasound technique using compression
waves to characterise the stiffness
of different types of tissue. The
authors evaluated this technology in
examinations of naturally occurring
injuries. Using conventional ultrasound
and magnetic resonance imaging as the
standard, they demonstrate the value of
elastography in detecting small, proximal
injuries of the hindlimb proximal
suspensory ligament which may be
helpful in characterising the chronicity
and severity of lesions.
Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound 56 (6):
670-679.
Biomechanical parameters in
the development of cranial
cruciate ligament defects
Nathan Brown and others, University
of Louisville, Kentucky
Damage to the cranial cruciate ligament
is the main orthopaedic condition of
the stifle joint in dogs. The authors
assessed the influence of four different
biomechanical factors – ligament
stiffness, ligament pre-strain, bodyweight
and stifle joint friction co-efficient –
in a pelvic limb computer simulation
model. Stifle joint outcome measures
were compared between damaged
and healthy joints for those different
parameters. The model predicted that
ligament pre-strain and bodyweight will
have a significant influence on stifle
joint biomechanics, confirming the
importance of bodyweight management
in controlling this condition.
American Journal of Veterinary Research 76
(11): 952-958.
Surgical site infections
following tibial plateau
levelling osteotomy in dogs
Alim Nazarali and others, University
of Guelph, Ontario
Tibial plateau levelling osteotomy is
one of the most commonly performed
orthopaedic surgery techniques, used
to stabilise the stifle joint following
cruciate ligament injury. Although
considered a “clean” procedure, TPLO
is known to result in a high incidence
of surgical site infections. The authors
investigate the association between
carriage of Staphylococcus pseudointermedius
and SSIs in 549 dogs treated at seven
veterinary hospitals. Of these 24 (4.4%)
were identified as MRSP carriers prior
to surgery and 37 (6.7%) developed an
SSI. MRSP carriage was shown to be
a risk factor for SSIs and measures are
warranted to rapidly identify and treat
such individuals.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical
Association 247 (8): 909-916.
Congenital abnormalities of the
vertebral column in ferrets
Pavel Proks and others, Brno
University of Veterinary Sciences,
Czech Republic
Congenital abnormalities of the spine
are frequently identified radiographically
in dogs but there is much less published
information on the equivalent lesions
in other domestic species. The authors
carried out a retrospective analysis
of radiographic images from 172
pet ferrets. Congenital abnormalities
were evident in 29 animals, or 17%.
Transitional vertebra represented the
most common abnormalities occurring in
the thoracolumbar region in 13 animals,
in the lumbosacral region in 10, and
in both regions in three cases. Other
vertebral abnormalities included block
and wedge vertebra, with two and one
cases, respectively.
Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound 56 (2):
117-123.
Cervical disc herniation in
chondrodystrophoid and normal
small-breed dogs
Takaharu Hakozaki and others,
Nippon Veterinary and Life Science
University, Tokyo
Intervertebral disc disease is one of the
most common neurological disorders
in dogs and studies have suggested that
chondrodystrophoid and small breed
dogs are more commonly affected. The
authors investigated the clinical features
of 187 cases in dogs from both groups.
Their findings indicate that there are
breed-specific differences in the character
of intervertebral disc disease with, for
example, Yorkshire terriers having a
significantly greater number of affected
discs than Dachshunds and also requiring
a longer recovery time than other breeds.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical
Association 247 (12): 1,408-1,411.
Infrared imaging of normal and
dysplastic elbows in dogs
Lauren McGowan and others, Long
Island Veterinary Specialists, New
York
Canine elbow dysplasia is one of the
leading causes of forelimb lameness in
dogs but its diagnosis can be challenging
and localising the site of pain can be
difficult because of the subtle clinical
signs. The authors investigate the
ability of medical infrared radiation
to differentiate between healthy
and dysplastic elbows. Imaging was
performed on 15 normal and 14
abnormal elbows and the data analysed
using descriptive statistics and image
pattern analysis software. Their results
indicate that the software was up to
100% accurate in identifying abnormal
and normal elbows with a medial
presentation providing the most useful
images.
Veterinary Surgery 44 (7): 874-882.
Detection of early-stage arthritis
in horses with radiography and
low-field MRI
Charles Ley and others, Swedish
University of Agricultural Sciences,
Uppsala
Validated non-invasive detection
methods for early osteoarthritis are
required for the prevention and prompt
treatment of the condition. The authors
evaluate the role of radiography and
low-field magnetic resonance imaging
in detecting early-stage osteochondral
lesions in equine centrodistal joints using
microscopy as the reference standard.
In studies on live Icelandic horses and
cadaver samples, they show that both
imaging methods were effective in
diagnosis of early stage lesions. The
detection of mineralisation front defects
may be a useful screening tool in young
horses.
Equine Veterinary Journal 48 (1): 57-64.
Bone mineral density
characteristics of racehorses
with condylar fractures
Sophie Bogers and others, Virginia-
Maryland College of Veterinary
Medicine
Catastrophic injuries of the third
metacarpal bone and suspensory
apparatus are the most common cause
of death in racing thoroughbreds. The
authors compared the bone mineral
density of the distal epiphysis of this
bone in post mortem samples from horses
with, and without, a condylar fracture.
Their results suggest that the bone
characteristics of the distal epiphysis will
reflect the training load and that the early
signs of fracture are very subtle. Serial
imaging in conjunction with detailed
training data would be required to
identify the onset of pathological injuries.
American Journal of Veterinary Research 77
(1): 32-38.
Focal defect resembling a
subchondral bone cyst of the
ulnar trochlear notch
Kelly Makielski and others, University
of Wisconsin-Madison
Subchondral bone cyst-like lesions
are commonly reported in horses,
humans and pigs but appear to be an
unusual feature in dogs. The authors
describe what they believe to be the
first published report of a subchondral
bone cyst in the ulnar of a dog. The
affected animal was a 13-month-old
spayed female Golden retriever/Standard
poodle cross which presented with an
intermittent right forelimb lameness.
Physical examination revealed marked
effusion and decreased flexion in the
right elbow joint. Radiography showed
mild osteophytosis and computed
tomography indicated a focal defect in
the subchondral bone in the trochlear
notch resembling a subchondral bone
cyst.
Journal of the American Animal Hospital
Association 51 (1): 20-24.