Transmural migration of a subcutaneous ureteral bypass into the intestine in three cats.

Subcutaneous ureteral bypass™ is a device placed in cats with ureteral obstruction. The most common complications include system occlusion, urinary tract infection and sterile cystitis. In this case series, we describe three cats with subcutaneous ureteral bypass devices placed where transmural migration of subcutaneous ureteral bypass catheters into the small intestine resulted in gastrointestinal signs, urinary infection and subcutaneous ureteral bypass occlusion. The system was changed in one case and removed in the other two. In all cases, an intestinal resection and anastomosis was performed. All cats had a good medium-term outcome, and urinary infection persisted in the case for which the subcutaneous ureteral bypass system was changed. Transmural migration of the device should be ​considered in cats with subcutaneous ureteral bypass presenting with persistent urinary tract infection, gastrointestinal signs or device obstruction, even if imaging studies such as ultrasound or contrast studies do not demonstrate any abnormalities.

Extended palatoplasty as surgical treatment for nasopharyngeal stenosis in six cats.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of extended palatoplasty as treatment of caudal nasopharyngeal stenosis in cats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT was used to confirm the diagnosis in cats with clinical signs consistent with nasopharyngeal stenosis. Extended palatoplasty rostral to the tonsils using monopolar electrocautery allowed simultaneous removal of the caudal soft palate together with the stenotic area. Cats were re-evaluated 2 weeks postoperatively. Telephone interview was used to obtain long-term follow-up. RESULTS: Six domestic shorthair cats were diagnosed with nasopharyngeal stenosis, with clinical signs of snoring (n=4), stertor (n=4), nasal discharge (n=3) and sneezing (n=1). CT scan identified a soft-tissue stricture at the level of the caudal nasopharynx in all cats. Other abnormalities included bilateral rhinitis (n=3), retropharyngeal adenomegaly (n=2), unilateral sinusitis (n=1) and bilateral otitis externa with unilateral otitis media (n=1). Excision of the caudal soft palate and the entire stenotic soft-tissue membrane was successful in all six cats. No pre-, intra- or postoperative complications were observed. Short-term outcome revealed clinical improvement in all cases. Long-term outcome revealed no recurrence of clinical signs in four cats. In one cat, occasional sneezing was reported. One cat died 1 month postoperatively for reasons unrelated to the respiratory condition. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Extended palatoplasty was an effective technique to treat caudal nasopharyngeal stenosis and provide improvement of clinical signs without postoperative complications in all cases.

Brainstem auditory evoked responses in foals: reference values, effect of age, rate of acoustic stimulation, and neurologic deficits.

BACKGROUND: Age and rate of acoustic stimulation affect peak latencies in brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAER) in humans. Those effects are unknown in foals. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Our goals were to (1) establish reference values for BAER in foals by using 3 different stimulation protocols, (2) evaluate the effects of age and stimulation frequencies on BAER tracing in foals up to 6 months old, and (3) compare the data with BAER obtained from foals with central nervous system (CNS) disorders. ANIMALS: Thirty-nine neurologically normal foals and 16 foals with neurologic diseases. METHODS: Prospective observational clinical study. BAER recorded by using 3 protocols of stimulation (11.33 repetitions per second [Hz]/70 decibel normal hearing level [dBNHL]; 11.33 Hz/90 dBNHL; 90 Hz/70 dBNHL). RESULTS: No effect of age was observed in normal foals (P > .005). No significant difference was observed for latencies and interpeak latencies (IPL) when comparing foals with neurologic diseases and normal foals (P > .05), but 78.6% of foals with neurologic diseases had an asymmetry in their tracing, reflecting a difference in conduction time between the left and right side of the brainstem. Increasing the stimulation rate did not improve detection of CNS disorders. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: We propose BAER reference values for foals up to 6 months of age by using 3 protocols. Most foals with neurologic deficits had abnormal BAER tracing.

Fast presurgical magnetic resonance imaging of meniscal tears and concurrent subchondral bone marrow lesions. Study of dogs with naturally occurring cranial cruciate ligament rupture.

Meniscal tears and subchondral bone marrow lesions have both been described in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture, but their possible concurrence has not been evaluated. In a population of 14 dogs exhibiting signs of stifle pain with surgically confirmed cranial cruciate ligament rupture, a short presurgical 1.5T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging protocol including dorsal proton density, dorsal T1-weighted gradient recalled echo, and sagittal fat-saturated dual echo sequences was tested to further investigate these features and illustrate meniscal tears. Interobserver agreement for detection of medial meniscal tears (k=0.83) and bone marrow lesions (k=0.87) was excellent. Consensus MR reading allowed detection of nine out of 12 surgically confirmed medial meniscal tears and there was no false positive. All dogs had cruciate ligament enthesis-related bone marrow lesions in the tibia, femur or both bones. Additionally, among the 12 dogs with confirmed medial meniscal tears, subchondral bone marrow lesions were present in the caudomedial (9 dogs) and caudoaxial (11 dogs) regions of the tibial plateau, resulting in odds ratios (13.6, p=0.12, and 38.3, p=0.04, respectively) that had large confidence intervals due to the small group size of this study. The other two dogs had neither tibial bone marrow lesions in these locations nor medial meniscal tears. These encouraging preliminary results warrant further investigation using this clinically realistic preoperative MR protocol. As direct diagnosis of meniscal tears remained challenging in dogs even with high-field MR, identification of associated signs such as subchondral bone marrow lesions might indirectly allow suspicion of an otherwise unrecognized meniscal tear.

Comparison of computed tomography and routine radiography of the tympanic bullae in the diagnosis of otitis media in the calf.

BACKGROUND: Otitis media is difficult to diagnose antemortem. Case reports have described computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis, but not all cases were confirmed. HYPOTHESIS: CT is a sensitive and specific imaging modality of the tympanic bullae and can be used as the gold standard for the diagnosis of otitis media. ANIMALS: Sixteen Holstein calves 5-7 weeks of age were included. METHODS: Prospective study. All calves were sedated with i.v. xylazine (0.05-0.15 mg/kg) for routine radiography (3 views) and CT of the tympanic bullae followed by necropsy. RESULTS: Based upon necropsy findings, 10 of 16 calves were affected with otitis media, 4 unilaterally and 6 bilaterally. Imaging changes associated with otitis media included increased soft tissue opacity within the bulla, thickening of the bulla wall, enlarged bulla, and osteolysis of the bulla wall and trabeculations. The most frequent radiographic changes were lysis of trabeculations and increased soft tissue opacity, which were present in 56.3% of affected bullae. On CT, increased soft tissue opacity within the bulla was present in 93.8% of affected bullae. Sensitivity of radiography and CT was 68.8 and 93.8% and specificity was 50 and 100%, respectively. The κ value between radiography and CT with necropsy diagnosis was 0.19 for radiography, indicating poor agreement, and 0.94 for CT, indicating excellent agreement. CONCLUSION: CT is more specific, more sensitive, and easier to interpret than radiography and can be used as the gold standard in the diagnosis of otitis media in the calf.

Clinical consequences of different exsanguination methods in hand surgery. a double-blind randomised study.

A randomised trial was performed in 100 patients in order to evaluate the effectiveness of three commonly used methods of exsanguination (simple elevation, squeeze method and Esmarch bandage) in a clinical setting. The quality and quantity of the exsanguination was evaluated every 5 min by the surgeon and the amount of oozing was observed. Although there was no significant difference between squeezing the arm and Esmarch bandaging, both resulted in significantly better exsanguination than simple elevation. In 22 out of the 100 patients, a small amount of ooze was observed. The oozing was observed significantly more frequently in the patients exsanguinated by simple elevation.

Hypertrophic osteopathy associated with infective endocarditis in an adult boxer dog.

A 20-month-old, entire male boxer dog was presented with lethargy and intermittent shifting limb lameness. Diagnostic tests revealed aortic valve vegetations suggestive of infective endocarditis causing severe aortic outflow obstruction, and hypertrophic osteopathy of all four limbs. The dog was treated symptomatically and euthanised four days later. The association of infective endocarditis and hypertrophic osteopathy has been poorly documented in the veterinary literature. The pathogenesis of hypertrophic osteopathy is unknown; however, four theories have been put forth to explain this disease: pulmonary shunting, vagal nerve stimulation, humoral substances produced by neoplastic cells and megakaryocyte/platelet clump hypothesis.

Exsanguination of the upper limb in healthy young volunteers.

Using a scintigraphic technique based on an autologous injection of 99mTc-labelled erythrocytes, we have evaluated the efficiency of different exsanguination procedures in the upper limb of ten healthy male volunteers. The methods were elevation alone, the use of the Esmarch bandage or a gauze bandage, the Pomidor roll-cuff, the squeeze method and the Urias bag. The various procedures gave the following median percentage reductions of blood volumes: elevation for 5 seconds 44%, 15 seconds 45%, 30 seconds 46%, 60 seconds 46% and 4 minutes 42%, the Esmarch bandage 69%, a gauze bandage 63%, the Pomidor roll-cuff 66%, the squeeze method 53%, and the Urias bag 57%. With regard to elevation alone no significant differences were found. All the external methods were significantly more effective than elevation alone. Overall, the squeeze method was found to be the best method of exsanguination before inflation of a tourniquet, because it is effective, fast, practical and inexpensive.

Scintigraphic method for evaluating reductions in local blood volumes in human extremities.

We introduce a new method for evaluating reductions in local blood volumes in extremities, based on the combined use of autologue injection of 99mTc-radiolabelled erythrocytes and clamping of the limb blood flow by the use of a tourniquet. Twenty-two healthy male volunteers participated in the experiment. Evaluation of one versus two scintigraphic projections, trials for assessment of the reproducibility, a comparison of the scintigraphic method with a water-plethysmographic method and registration of the fractional reduction in blood volume caused by exsanguination as a result of simple elevation were carried out. No significant differences between results obtained by the use of one or two scintigraphic projections were found. The between-subject coefficient of variation was 14% in the lower limb experiment and 11% in the upper limb experiment. The within-subject coefficient of variation was 6% in the lower limb experiment and 6% in the upper limb experiment. We found a significant relation (r = 0.42, p = 0.018) between the results obtained by the scintigraphic method and the plethysmographic method. In fractions, a mean reduction in blood volume of 0.49+0.14 (2 SD) was found after 1 min of elevation of the lower limb and a mean reduction of 0.45+/-0.10 (2 SD) after half a minute of elevation of the upper limb. We conclude that the method is precise and can be used in investigating physiologic and pathophysiologic mechanisms in relation to blood volumes of limbs not subject to research previously.

Injuries caused by falling soccer goalposts in Denmark.

OBJECTIVE: A falling soccer goalpost is associated with the potential risk of serious injury that can sometimes even be fatal. The aim of the study was to analyse the extent of the problem in Denmark and focus on the mechanism of injury and prevention. METHODS: Data were analysed for the period 1989-1997 from the European Home and Leisure Accident Surveillance System, which is an electronic register of the injuries seen in the casualty departments of the hospitals of five selected cities in Denmark representing 14% of the Danish population; in addition, fatal accidents in the whole of Denmark since 1981 were examined. Forty two injured persons were interviewed about the circumstances of the accident. Attempts were made to estimate the proportion of goalposts secured by counterweight in the five different regions, compared with the proportion secured with ground stakes and those that were unsecured, by analysing data from the largest producers of goalposts in Denmark. RESULTS: In the period 1981-1988, two fatal accidents were recorded. In the period 1989-1997, 117 people were injured by a falling goalpost; six of the injuries required hospitalisation. Some 88% of the injured were under the age of 15. In a telephone interview with 42 of the injured, 50% stated that the goalpost fell because someone was hanging on the crossbar. Comparing the five different regions with respect to the proportion of goalposts secured by counterweight and the number of accidents, the following relation was found. Areas in which a high percentage of the goalposts were secured by a counterweight correlated inversely with a high number of accidents (r = -0.9; p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Soccer is a widely played sport and it is important to be aware that accidents caused by falling goalposts can occur and that they presumably can be prevented by proper use of goalposts, by using secure goalposts, and by securing old goalposts with a counterweight.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome in athletes: a 5.7-year retrospective follow-up study of 250 athletes.

Two hundred fifty athletes from a sports clinic, 122 (49%) females and 128 (51%) males (mean age 21.1 years), who were diagnosed as having patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and were instructed to practice vastus medialis training, returned a completed questionnaire after an average of 5.7 years' follow-up. Sixty-eight (27%) were pain-free for an average of 8.1 months: 17 (25%) women and 51 (75%) men. As to the remaining 182 (73%) who were still suffering, 95 (52%) had experienced a decrease in pain, 64 (35%) were unchanged and 23 (13%) had experienced an increase in pain. Sixty-eight (37%) described the pain as being mild, 88 (48%) as moderate, and 26 (15%) as severe. Athletic activity was affected in 184 (74%) of the cases, employment in 16 (6%) cases. The prognosis was not correlated with a history of trauma or with age. Athletes with a hypermobile patella had a less good prognosis (r = 0.23, p = 0.04). For about half of the athletes the prognosis was good, although the other half obtained an inadequate result, using a self-training program.