Partial urorectal septum malformation sequence in a kitten with disorder of sexual development.

A 2-month-old kitten exhibited simultaneously an imperforate anus, hypospadias, rectourethral fistula and genital dysgenesis (penis restricted to the glans, absence of prepuce and bifid scrotum). Surgical correction consisted of separation of the urinary and digestive tracts, perineal urethrostomy and connection of the rectum to the newly made anal opening. Pathological examination of the testes, conventionally removed at 9 months of age, showed no mature spermatozoa and underdevelopment of germ and Leydig cells. In humans, the absence of an anal opening in association with abnormal sexual development defines the urorectal septum malformation sequence. Here, we describe the first case of this syndrome in a kitten with a normal male karyotype (38,XY) and a normal coding sequence for the SRY gene. Both the rectourethral fistula and observed genital abnormalities might have been induced by a disturbance in the hedgehog signalling pathway. However, although four polymorphic sites were identified by DHH gene sequencing, none cosegregated with the malformation.

Laparoscopic-assisted colopexy and sterilization in male dogs: short-term results and physiologic consequences.

OBJECTIVE: To describe laparoscopic-assisted colopexy and sterilization, and evaluate outcome and effects in healthy male dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. ANIMALS: Male Beagle dogs (n=7). METHODS: A laparoscopic-assisted, extracorporeally sutured colopexy, and sterilization by ligation and section of the testicular vessels and ductus deferens were evaluated 11 weeks after surgery. Ex vivo tensile tests were performed on the colopexy sites and loss of testicular function was assessed by monitoring serum testosterone, and by ultrasonographic and histologic examinations of the testes. Systemic inflammation and potential iatrogenic colonic functional disorders were investigated by monitoring serum C-reactive protein (CRP) in the perioperative period and from a sulfapyridine (SP) kinetic profile obtained before and 10 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: No intraoperative complications were recorded and clinical outcome was considered fair in all dogs. A mean tensile force of 42 N was required to disrupt colopexies. No relevant postoperative increase in CRP concentrations or changes in SP kinetics were observed. Testicular function was lost. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic-assisted colopexy achieved adhesion of the colon to the abdominal wall and testicular endocrine function and spermatogenesis were eliminated by laparoscopic castration.

A laparoscopic-sutured gastropexy technique in dogs: mechanical and functional evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a laparoscopic-sutured gastropexy technique in dogs and evaluate the tensile strength of the adhesion and effects on gastric function. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. ANIMALS: Female beagle dogs (n=7). METHODS: A laparoscopic-sutured gastropexy technique was evaluated by ex vivo tensile distraction tests 10 weeks after surgery. The effect of the adhesion on gastric emptying, mucosal permeability, and systemic inflammation were evaluated by monitoring the C-reactive protein (CRP) and sucrose permeability, and by radiographic evaluation of gastric emptying 2 weeks before and 10 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Mean (+/-SD) tensile force to disrupt adhesions was 51.1+/-16.4 N. There was no significant postoperative increase in CRP concentration or change in sucrose permeability. The area under the curve representing the postprandial decrease in gastric radiographic area increased by 11% after gastropexy. CONCLUSIONS: This laparoscopic gastropexy technique had appropriate mechanical and functional characteristics with limited morbidity. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This laparoscopic-sutured gastropexy provides adhesion strength comparable with other gastropexy techniques tested at 10 weeks postoperatively. Only minor changes in gastric emptying were observed 10 weeks after surgery.

Segmentation of the canine population in different femoral morphological groups.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of femoral traumatology and hip dysplasia shows the need to design canine specific femoral implants in veterinary surgery. A good knowledge of femoral morphology, and particularly of intra-species variability, is required to develop a well-adapted canine femoral intramedullary implant. The aim of this study is to evaluate the morphological variability of the canine femur and to propose a segmentation of this population. PROCEDURE: This study proposes different possibilities for the segmentation of a canine population of 103 dogs of various common breeds in relation to their femoral morphology. These segmentations were obtained with a statistical methodology, which takes into account 24 measured and calculated morphological parameters of 206 canine femurs. RESULTS: The segmentation of this canine population into four or six homogeneous groups related to the femoral morphology were the two most relevant solutions. The total length of the femur and the femoral head diameter were the best discriminant parameters for this segmentation. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of the variability of the femoral morphology in the canine species and the possibility of splitting the canine population into homogeneous morphological groups are useful for the design of specific canine femoral implants. The femoral morphological profiles of each group constitute an essential database for fitting the best orthopedic implant to the bone.

Geometric analysis of the proximal femur in a diverse sample of dogs.

Dogs are often used as experimental models for studies of human hip replacement. A precise knowledge of femoral morphology is required to improve osteointegration of cementless prostheses by bone ingrowth or determination of the best design for total hip prostheses. To better understand the differences between breeds, we measured or calculated 24 external and internal features of the femur on standard radiographs of dogs that differed greatly in size and body type. We considered the appropriateness of the canine model for human total hip replacement studies and show that human and canine femurs differ in characteristics like anteversion, cortico-medullary index or endosteal shape. Knowledge of these differences and similarities makes it possible to design well-adapted stems for dogs.