Current state of home health in children with medical complexity.

Background: Home health services are a right for children in the US, but higher survival rates of extremely preterm infants have led to an increase in children with medical complexity (CMC) and therefore an increased demand for home health services. Unfortunately, an adequately trained and compensated workforce to support medially complex children at home does not exist.

Methods: After identifying the existing research, common themes were identified.

Correlation of cytologic and histopathologic findings with perinodal echogenicity of abdominal lymph nodes in dogs and cats.

Abdominal lymphadenopathy in dogs and cats is routinely investigated with ultrasound. As the determination between benign and neoplastic etiologies of lymphadenopathy affects patient management, specific sonographic characteristics associated with both benign and neoplastic lymph nodes have been suggested. However, a significant overlap between these characteristics exists, necessitating a cytologic or histopathologic diagnosis in most instances.

Equine Dental Pulp Connective Tissue Particles Reduced Lameness in Horses in a Controlled Clinical Trial.

Objective: To assess if injection of allogeneic dental pulp tissue particles would improve lameness in horses with naturally occurring osteoarthritis (OA) or soft tissue (ST) injury.

Design: Prospective, randomized, blinded, and controlled clinical trial and client survey assessment.

Animals: Forty lame client-owned horses.

Evaluation of a Single Intra-Articular Injection of Autologous Protein Solution for Treatment of Osteoarthritis in a Canine Population.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of an intra-articular injection of autologous protein solution (APS) for treatment of canine osteoarthritis (OA).

Study Design: Prospective, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial.

Animals: Client-owned dogs with single limb lameness because of OA in a stifle or elbow joint (n=21).

COMPARISON OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY AND ABDOMINAL RADIOGRAPHY FOR DETECTION OF CANINE MECHANICAL INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION.

Vomiting, often caused by mechanical intestinal obstruction, is common in dogs. Equivocal radiographic signs often necessitate repeat radiographs or additional imaging procedures. For our prospective, case-controlled, accuracy study, we hypothesized the following: (1) using computed tomography (CT), radiologists will be more sensitive and specific for detecting mechanical intestinal obstruction and recommending surgery compared to using radiographs; and (2) using measurements, radiologists will be more sensitive and specific using radiographs or CT for detecting mechanical intestinal obstruction and recommending surgery.

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF THE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT IN 1018 ASYMPTOMATIC HORSES: A MULTI-INSTITUTION STUDY.

Published descriptions of nonseptic arthritis of the equine temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are rare and large studies investigating variations in the TMJ for asymptomatic horses are lacking. The objectives of this cross-sectional, retrospective, multi-institutional study were to describe anatomical variations in the TMJ detected using computed tomography (CT) in an equid population asymptomatic for TMJ disease and determine whether these variations were associated with patient signalment, reason for CT examination, or CT slice width. Medical records at eight hospitals were searched for horses that had head/neck CT scans and no clinical signs of TMJ disease.

Quantitative assessment of the equine hoof using digital radiography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Reasons For Performing Study: Evaluation of laminitis cases relies on radiographic measurements of the equine foot. Reference values have not been established for all layers of the foot.

Objectives: To establish normal hoof wall and sole measurements using digital radiography (DR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to document tissue components present in the dorsal hoof wall and solar layers seen on DR.

Analgesic effects of intraneural injection of ethyl alcohol or formaldehyde in the palmar digital nerves of horses.

Objective: To determine analgesic effects of intraneural injection of ethyl alcohol or formaldehyde in the palmar digital nerves of horses.

Animals: 6 horses.

Procedures: Ethyl alcohol was injected in the medial palmar digital nerve of 1 forelimb, and formaldehyde was injected in the contralateral nerve.

Evaluation of a single intra-articular injection of autologous protein solution for treatment of osteoarthritis in horses.

Objective: To evaluate intra-articular autologous protein solution (APS) for the treatment of osteoarthritis in horses. Animals-40 client-owned horses with naturally occuring osteoarthritis.

Procedures: APS was generated from a dual-device system that concentrated plasma and WBC proteins and enriched platelet growth factors.

Digital radiography for the equine practitioner: basic principles and recent advances.

As availability increases and cost decreases, digital radiograph systems become more common in equine practice. Technological advances provide an array of choices for the equine practitioner considering purchase. Two classes of systems are available: computed radiography and flat-panel systems (direct radiography).

Effect of sevoflurane anesthesia and blood donation on the sonographic appearance of the spleen in 60 healthy cats.

The aims of this prospective study were to describe the normal sonographic size and appearance of the feline spleen, and to test effects of sevoflurane anesthesia and blood collection on sonographic characteristics. Sonographic evaluations were performed in 60 healthy blood donor cats prior to anesthesia and blood collection (baseline), after anesthesia induction, after completion of blood collection while under anesthesia, and 7-10 days after blood collection. Transverse sonographic images of the splenic mid-body were made.

Use of ultrasound to locate retained testes in dogs and cats.

Ultrasound was used to locate undescended testes in 30 dogs and 4 cats where the final testicular location was determined surgically. Time between ultrasound and surgery ranged between 0 and 17 days. Forty-three testes (63.

Effects of treatment on respiratory rate, serum natriuretic peptide concentration, and Doppler echocardiographic indices of left ventricular filling pressure in dogs with congestive heart failure secondary to degenerative mitral valve disease and dilated cardiomyopathy.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of treatment on respiratory rate, serum natriuretic peptide concentrations, and Doppler echocardiographic indices of left ventricular filling pressure in dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) secondary to degenerative mitral valve disease (MVD) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Animals: 63 client-owned dogs.

Intra- and interobserver variability of board-certified veterinary radiologists and veterinary general practitioners for pulmonary nodule detection in standard and inverted display mode images of digital thoracic radiographs of dogs.

Objective: To determine intra- and interobserver variability of 2 veterinary radiologists and 2 veterinary general practitioners for detection of pulmonary nodules in standard and inverted (reversed grayscale) displays of digital thoracic radiographs of dogs.

Design: Evaluation study.

Sample: 114 sets of 3-view (right lateral, left lateral, and ventrodorsal or dorsoventral views) digital thoracic radiographs from 114 dogs.

Detection of congestive heart failure in dogs by Doppler echocardiography.

Background: Echocardiographic prediction of congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs has not been prospectively evaluated.

Hypothesis: CHF can be predicted by Doppler echocardiographic (DE) variables of left ventricular (LV) filling in dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease (MVD) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Animals: Sixty-three client-owned dogs.

Comparative efficacy of dermal fibroblast-mediated and direct adenoviral bone morphogenetic protein-2 gene therapy for bone regeneration in an equine rib model.

Cell-mediated and direct adenoviral (Ad) vector gene therapies can induce bone regeneration, including dermal fibroblasts (DFbs). We compared two effective therapies, DFb-mediated and direct Ad vector delivery of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2), for relative efficacy in bone regeneration. Equine rib drill defects were treated by percutaneous injection of either DFb-BMP2 or an Ad-BMP2 vector.

Dermal fibroblast-mediated BMP2 therapy to accelerate bone healing in an equine osteotomy model.

This study evaluated healing of equine metacarpal/metatarsal osteotomies in response to percutaneous injection of autologous dermal fibroblasts (DFbs) genetically engineered to secrete bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) or demonstrate green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene expression administered 14 days after surgery. Radiographic assessment of bone formation indicated greater and earlier healing of bone defects treated with DFb with BMP2 gene augmentation. Quantitative computed tomography and biomechanical testing revealed greater mineralized callus and torsional strength of DFb-BMP2-treated bone defects.

rhBMP-12 accelerates healing of rotator cuff repairs in a sheep model.

Background: The success rate of rotator cuff repairs is variable. This study was performed to evaluate the ability of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-12 (rhBMP-12), administered in several carriers, to accelerate healing in a sheep model of rotator cuff repair.

Methods: Local retention of tracer amounts of radiolabeled rhBMP-12, added to non-radiolabeled rhBMP-12 delivered in buffer, hyaluronan paste or sponges, or Type-I or Type-I/III collagen sponges was first evaluated with use of gamma scintigraphy in a pilot study of a rat intramuscular implant model.

Imaging diagnosis--pulmonary metastases in New World camelids.

The radiographic appearance of pulmonary metastatic disease from carcinoma is described in a llama and an alpaca. In one, a diffuse miliary pattern was seen. In the other, a more atypical unstructured interstitial pattern was recognized.

Comparison of radiography and computed tomography to evaluate metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal joint pathology of paired limbs of thoroughbred racehorses with severe condylar fracture.

Objective: To compare the orthogonal radiographic (OR) and computed tomographic (CT) appearance of paired Thoroughbred racehorse limbs with severe condylar fracture.

Study Design: In vitro study.

Sample Population: Cadaveric paired limbs with severe condylar fracture (n=11 horses).