Sacral fracture stabilisation using dorsal transiliac locking plates: 12 cases (2017-2023).

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical presentations, outcomes and complications associated with the use of dorsal transiliac locking plates to stabilise sacral fractures in dogs and cats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single-centre retrospective analysis of all patients that presented with sacral fractures between February 2017 and February 2023 that were managed surgically using paired dorsal transiliac locking plates. Twelve animals met the criteria for inclusion in a retrospective clinical case series. An owner questionnaire was employed to assess long-term outcomes. RESULTS: Eleven dogs and one cat with a mean age of 3.1 years (range 0.6 to 8.8) were included. Eleven patients presented following a motor vehicle accident and most were either non-ambulatory (n=8) or displayed severe unilateral hindlimb lameness (n=4). Nine sacral fractures were considered Anderson type II and three Anderson type V. The plate fixation was augmented with additional surgical stabilisation in 11 cases. Eleven patients were ambulatory at discharge and all cases healed uneventfully without major surgical or postoperative complications. Long-term follow-up (>60 days) was available in 10 animals at a mean of 694 days (range 65 to 1805) and owner-assessed outcomes via questionnaire were reported as good to excellent in all cases. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The application of transiliac locking plates provided sufficient stability to facilitate sacral fracture healing with minimal clinical complications. This method represents a robust and safe option to stabilise sacral fractures in dogs and cats, offering an alternative to iliosacral lag screw fixation.

Effects of decrease of extracellular sodium in carbachol-evoked catecholamine secretion in isolated adrenal medullae of rats.

The effect of extracellular Na(+) deprivation on the carbachol-evoked catecholamine secretion was evaluated in chromaffin cells. Isolated adrenal medullae of male Wistar rats were incubated in solutions with different sodium concentrations (144,0; 75,0; 25,0 and psi mM). Catecholamine secretions inversely increased as a response to fall of extracellular concentration of sodium. The magnitude of response to cholinergic stimulus (carbachol 100 microM) was decreased in low extracellular sodium concentration. Atropine (100 microM) inhibited secretion of catecholamine induced by carbachol in the presence and in the absence of extracellular sodium. Results suggest that in isolated adrenal medullae of rats (1) decrease in concentration of extracellular sodium increases secretion of catecholamines, perhaps by a greater influx of calcium from the extracellular environment through reversal of Na(+) /Ca(2+) exchanger; (2) intensity of catecholamine secretion induced by cholinergic stimulus seems to depend on extracellular sodium.

Responsiveness of glycogen catabolism to adrenergic agonists during insulin-induced hypoglycemia in rat livers.

1. Insulin-induced hypoglycemia (IIH) promoted decreased responsiveness of hepatic glycogen catabolism to phenylephrine and isoproterenol, but not to glucagon and cyanide. 2. In addition, glycogen phosphorylase activity and glycogen levels were not affected by IIH. 3. It was concluded that hypoglycemia promoted changes in hepatic responsiveness to adrenergic agonists. 4. However, the ability of the liver to mobilize glycogen was not influenced by hypoglycemia.

Development of a clinically applicable high-speed flow cytometer for the isolation of transplantable human hematopoietic stem cells.

A high-speed cell sorter capable of a throughput speed 4-5-fold greater than commercially available systems was developed and evaluated as a processing tool for isolating purified hematopoietic stem cell grafts. The clinical high-speed sorter (CHSS) serves as a single-pass, multiparameter processing tool that provides the means to isolate a highly purified population of cells from starting cell populations with extremely low frequencies. The sorter incorporates environmental barriers to create a sterile environment for cell processing. Monoclonal antibodies and reagents produced under good manufacturing practices (GMP) are used to isolate hematopoietic stem cells by means of the CHSS. Using this technology, the CD34+Thy-1+Lin- hematopoietic stem cell population has been isolated from normal adult bone marrow and mobilized peripheral blood. The sorted cells have been shown to be sterile and viable and to retain hematopoietic function.