Evaluation of ultrasonography for measuring solar soft tissue thickness as a predictor of sole ulcer formation in Holstein-Friesian dairy cows.

The aim of this research was to investigate the correlation between the thickness of solar soft tissue (SST; i.e. the corium and subcutaneous tissue) in early lactation and sole ulcer formation in late lactation. Fifty Holstein-Friesian cows were examined three times: (1) 30 days after calving (locomotion scoring, trimming, claw examination, measurement of SST); (2) 70 days after calving (locomotion scoring); and (3) 180 days after calving (locomotion scoring, trimming, claw examination). SST thickness was measured using an 8 MHz linear probe, at two points (SST1 below the apex of the pedal bone, and SST2 below the flexor tubercle). Mean values for SST1 and SST2 were 3.26 ± 0.43 mm and 4.35 ± 0.46 mm, respectively; the two measures were positively correlated (r=0.95, P<0.001). At 180 days after calving, a sole ulcer was diagnosed in 12/50 cows (24%). Cows with a thinner SST had a higher risk of developing sole ulcers than those with a thicker SST. The optimal cut-off values of SST1 and SST2 in predicting cows with sole ulcers (as calculated by ROC analysis) was ⩽ 3 mm for SST1 and ⩽ 3.9 mm for SST2. The relative risk of a sole ulcer developing, based on those cut-off values was 4.25 (95 CI, 1.77-24.88) for SST1 ⩽ 3 mm and 3.63 (95 CI, 1.18-10.8) for SST2 ⩽ 3.9 mm.

[Early prognosis of free venous autograft in common bile duct reconstruction. Experimental study--first phase]. / Rana prognoza slobodnog autovenskog grafta kod rekonstrukcije duktus holedohusa. Eksperimentalni rad--prva faza istrazivanja.

Experiments were carried out on 25 grown-up dogs of both sex in general anesthesia. The supraduodenal part of the choledochus was excised and the reconstruction of the defect with a free venous autograft was made by an end to end anastomosis without use of a transitory or permanent prosthesis. The experimental animals were observed for 60 days, during which period they were checked clinically, biochemically and radiologically. After this period the animals were sacrificed and surgical peroperative control and sampling of material for histological study were made. Out of 25 experimental animals 18 (72%) survived a period of 60 days and 7 dogs died. On autopsy it was found that the cause of death in all animals was biliary peritonitis, but in only one case due necrosis of the graft. The values of bilirubin concentration at the end of the experiment showed almost normal level, but the values of the alkaline phosphate activity and transminase showed significant increased values. Intravenous biligraphy showed significant excretion of the contrast material, freely passing the graft, which was dilated due to stenotic changes of the distal anastomosis. After sacrificing the animals we found: the graft increased length, diameter, thickness wall and stenosis of the distal anastomosis. By histological exploration we found in the liver the signs of the biliary stasis and in the grafts substitution of its endothelium by biliary epithelium. Free venous autograft used as a substitute in the reconstruction of the bile duct which survived 60 days postoperatively, remained transient but with changes in the sense of elongation and dilatation caused by the stenosis od distal anastomosis. Histologically the grafts were entirely bridged by biliary epithelium.