Veterinary Surgery February 2026 – Ortho Part 1: Limb Sparing Biology & Safe Arthrocentesis Techniques

In this Simini Small Animal Surgery Podcast episode, we kick off our orthopedic coverage from the February 2026 issue of Veterinary Surgery with two studies focused on refining both complex surgical decision-making and everyday orthopedic techniques. From limb-sparing surgery in osteosarcoma to safe approaches for stifle arthrocentesis, these papers highlight how both high-level strategy and small technical choices can significantly impact patient outcomes. In this episode: ✅ Altwal et al. — A comprehensive review of canine limb-sparing techniques for appendicular osteosarcoma, including cortical allografts and 3D-printed prostheses. While these techniques aim to preserve limb function, infection remains the dominant complication, with rates as high as 70% in distal radius cases. Interestingly, dogs that developed infections showed longer median survival (480 days vs. 228 days), likely due to immune activation, though infection remains a major cause of implant failure and secondary amputation. ✅ McLean et al. — An ex vivo study evaluating four landmark-based techniques for stifle arthrocentesis. While all techniques achieved 100% joint access, safety varied significantly. The commonly used lateral intercondylar notch approach showed 0% cartilage injury, whereas the infrapatellar approach caused iatrogenic cartilage damage in 75% of cases, often affecting weight-bearing surfaces. Together, these studies reinforce a key principle in orthopedic surgery: success depends on both mastering complex procedures and refining the small technical details we perform every day.  🎓 Journal Articles Discussed Altwal et al. — Surgical limb-sparing in veterinary medicine: A review of existing techniques in dogsMcLean et al. — Accuracy and safety of stifle arthrocentesis and injection based on two established and two new landmarks: Ex vivo study in dogs📚 From the February 2026 issue of Veterinary Surgery 🎁 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