VCOT March 2026 – Ortho Part 1: Feline Bandages, 3D-Printed Locking Plates & THA Cup Positioning

In this Simini Small Animal Surgery Podcast episode, we begin our orthopedic coverage from the March 2026 issue of Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology (VCOT) by examining how small technical decisions can profoundly influence orthopedic outcomes—from postoperative care to implant manufacturing and intraoperative accuracy. This episode explores whether routine postoperative bandaging is truly beneficial in cats, how 3D-printed locking plates may reshape the future of patient-specific implants, and a novel device designed to improve acetabular cup positioning during canine total hip replacement.In this episode:✅ Clayton et al. — A multicenter retrospective study of 152 cats undergoing clean orthopedic procedures evaluated complications associated with postoperative external coaptation. Overall, 68.4% of cats developed bandage-associated complications, and those receiving rigid splints were 3.4 times more likely to experience severe complications than cats managed with soft padded bandages alone. Cases included pressure necrosis, implant exposure, osteomyelitis, and even digit amputation. The findings suggest that when rigid internal fixation provides adequate stability, routine postoperative splinting may introduce unnecessary risk rather than additional protection. ✅ Kang et al. — Investigated whether locking screw threads can be manufactured directly into 3D-printed titanium plates, eliminating the need for expensive post-machining. When printed in a 0° horizontal orientation, directly printed locking threads achieved push-out strength equivalent to commercially machined plates. However, vertically printed implants demonstrated significant thread defects, and insertion torque proved critical—100% of printed threads failed when tightened to 2.0 Nm, while 1.1 Nm provided reliable fixation. The study highlights how implant manufacturing parameters and surgical technique must evolve together as patient-specific implants become more common. ✅ Karlin et al. — Evaluated the Cup Position Assessment Device (CPAD), a 3D-printed intraoperative guide designed to objectively measure acetabular cup orientation during canine total hip arthroplasty. Using embedded radiopaque crossbars and intraoperative radiographs, the device measured the angle of lateral opening (ALO) with remarkable accuracy—within approximately 1.1° of the true angle. Although version measurements remain limited by implant overlap on radiographs, the CPAD represents an important step toward objective intraoperative implant positioning and reducing postoperative luxation risk. Together, these studies reinforce an important orthopedic principle: better outcomes often come from improving the small details that surround surgery—not just the operation itself.🎓 Journal Articles DiscussedClayton et al. — Incidence of Bandage-Associated Complications in Cats following Clean Orthopaedic Procedures: A Retrospective Study of 152 CasesKang et al. — Feasibility of Integrating Locking Plate System into Additively Manufactured Implants: A Mechanical Comparison of Three-Dimensional-Printed and Machined Locking Hole ThreadsKarlin et al. — In Vitro Evaluation of a Device to Assess Acetabular Cup Position by Sagittal Plane Radiography📚 From the March 2026 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