VCOT January 2025 – Ortho & Soft Tissue: Fixation Strength & Feline Fall Survival Score

In this Simini Small Animal Surgery Podcast episode, we bring you two impactful studies from the January 2025 issue of VCOT, spanning both orthopedic decision-making and emergency soft tissue triage. One study helps you decide how many screws are really worth it in a femoral neck fracture. The other gives you a scoring system that could redefine how we manage high-rise syndrome in cats.We cover:✅ Calderon et al. — A biomechanical cadaver study comparing two vs. three titanium cannulated screw constructs for basal femoral neck fractures in dogs. Three screws delivered a 51.7% strength increase, significantly improving fixation yield (586 N vs. 303 N), while stiffness stayed relatively unchanged. But added strength came with increased technical demand and higher cortical perforation risk—especially in dogs with narrow femoral necks✅ Ínal et al. — A retrospective study of 373 cats with high-rise syndrome (HRS) evaluating survival predictors. Fall height, surface type, and visible injuries were not predictive. Only the Animal Trauma Triage Score (ATTS) strongly predicted mortality. Cats with an ATTS ≥7 had a 61.9% mortality rate, and most deaths were due to thoracic or vertebral injury, not fractures. This shifts focus to early ATTS scoring and aggressive spine/chest imaging regardless of the fall story🎓 Journal Articles Discussed:Calderon et al. — In Vitro Biomechanical Study of Femoral Neck Fracture Fixation with Two or Three Cannulated Screws in Dogs Ínal et al. — Survival Rate of High-Rise Syndrome Cases Using Animal Trauma Triage Score in Cats 📚 From the January 2025 issue of VCOT🎁 Want to learn more about Simini Protect Lavage or request a sample?Learn More: www.simini.comRequest a Sample:https://www.simini.com/evaluation-kit