Prognostic value of right pulmonary artery distensibility in dogs with pulmonary hypertension.

The right pulmonary artery distensibility (RPAD) index has been used in dogs with pulmonary hypertension (PH) caused by heartworm infection, myxomatous mitral valve disease, or patent ductus arteriosus. We hypothesized that this index correlates with the tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient (TRPG) assessed by echocardiography and could predict survival in dogs with PH secondary to various causes. To assess this hypothesis, the medical records of 200 client-owned dogs at a referral institution were retrospectively reviewed.

Sutureless thyroidectomy: surgical technique.

The technique of thyroid surgery has continued to evolve over the last 200 years. Sutureless thyroidectomy is one of the recent developments in surgical technique and is made possible by the use of vessel sealing devices. The most frequently used devices include a bipolar coagulation device (Ligasure Precise) and ultrasonic dissecting shears (Harmonic Scalpel FOCUS).