Cancellous Bone Graft Collection from the Tibia in Dogs

Autologous cancellous bone was collected from the metaphysis of the proximal end of the tibia in 30 medium and large dogs. Access to the metaphyseal cancellous bone was gained by making a medial opening in the cortex with a 5.6, 7.9, or 10 mm bone trephine. Sufficient bone was obtained from this site for grafting in each case. Four dogs had bilateral carpal arthrodesis that necessitated graft collection from both tibias. Complications arising from graft collection included wound disruption 5 days postoperatively (3/34 graft sites) and incomplete fracture of the tibial cortex created during the surgical procedure (1/34 graft sites). Collection of autologous cancellous bone from this sita in mature, medium and large dogs was found to be a safe procedure with a low incidence of donor site morbidity.     

Partial Arytenoidectomy in Horses

Unilateral partial arytenoidectomy was performed in 22 horses. Six horses had arytenoid chondritis, 14 horses had idiopathic laryngeal hemiplegia (11 of which had been treated unsuccessfully by insertion of a laryngeal abductor muscle prosthesis), and two horses had laryngeal hemiplegia resulting from perivascular injection of an irritant drug. After surgery, eight horses (36%) developed a nasal discharge of food and/or water that was of clinical significance in only two of them. The operation resulted in marked improvement in exercise tolerance in all 20 horses tested, although two could not work because of severe exercise-associated coughing. Mild inspiratory stertor was present in eight horses and was excessive in one. It was concluded that the high incidence of problems related to swallowing rendered the method unacceptable. Modification of partial arytenoidectomy by silicon augmentation produced improvement in one horse.     

The Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment on a Compromised Axial Pattern Flap in the Cat

A pedicle skin flap based on the caudal superficial epigastric artery was created in 12 cats. The artery was ligated and the vein left intact. Six cats were treated with hyperbaric oxygen at 2 atm absolute for 90 minutes daily for 14 days, starting the day after surgery. Skin flap color was significantly better in the treated cats on days 1, 2, and 3. The amount of exudate was significantly less in the treated cats on day 3. There was no difference in the amount of swelling between treated and nontreated control cats. Although five of six of the treated cats had 100% skin flap survival, there was no significant difference in total flap survival between treated and nontreated control cats.     

Esophagotomy Closure in the Dog A Comparison of a Double-Layer Appositional and Two Single-Layer Appositional Techniques

Esophagotomies were performed on 36 dogs and closed with 3-0 polydioxanone in double-layer simple interrupted, single-layer simple interrupted, or single-layer simple continuous patterns. The operative time was shortest for single-layer simple continuous closure, followed by single-layer simple interrupted and double-layer simple interrupted, respectively. Three dogs with each suture pattern were euthanatized at hours 0 and 1, and days 4 and 28 after surgery. The esophagotomy incisions were subjected to bursting strength testing and examined microscopically. The bursting wall tension was higher for all three suture pattern groups at 28 days than at 0 and 1 hour. The double-layer closure had higher bursting wall tension than the single-layer closures at 0 hour and 4 days. Single-layer simple continuous closure had the lowest bursting wall tension for each time period. Single-layer simple interrupted closure had the highest bursting wall tension at 28 days. Microscopic examination revealed close approximation of tissue planes for the double-layer closure and mucosal ever-sion for the simple interrupted and simple continuous single-layer closures. Healing was superior histologically with the double-layer closure.