No genetic association with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) caused by embryonic aneuploidy has been found. Recent studies have indicated that the common genetic variant rs2305957, surrounding the PLK4 gene, contributes to mitoticorigin aneuploidy risk during human early embryo development. The decrease in meiosis-specific cohesin causes predivision of sister chromatids in the centromere and chromosome segregation errors. STAG3 is a component of cohesin and is a meiosis-specific gene. Our case-control study included 184 patients with RPL whose previous products of conception (POC) exhibited aneuploidy and 190 fertile control women without a history of miscarriage. We performed a genetic association study to examine the genotype distribution at PLK4 (rs2305957) and STAG3 in patients with RPL caused by aneuploidy compared with controls. Regarding STAG3, SNPs with a minor allele frequency (MAF) threshold > 0.05 that were predicted to be binding sites of transcription factors and that showed significant associations in expression quantitative trait locus (e-QTL) analysis were selected. No significant differences in the MAF or distribution in any model of PLK4 (rs2305957) and 5 selected tag SNPs in STAG3 were found between the patients and controls. A further genome-wide association study is needed since a combination of genetic risk alleles might be useful in predicting future age-dependent RPL caused by aneuploidy.

Objective: To evaluate the use of the Leipzig distractor during canine shoulder arthroscopy. Study design: Experimental, ex vivo. Sample population: Paired shoulder joints from 15 large breed canine cadavers. Methods: Standard lateral shoulder arthroscopy was performed with or without the use of the Leipzig distractor (n = 15 each). Joint space width, procedure time, and visibility and palpability of the intra-articular structures were assessed during the arthroscopy. After the arthroscopic evaluation, each shoulder joint was disarticulated to assess the area and number of iatrogenic articular cartilage injury (IACI) lesions. Sites around the distraction device were assessed for the presence of iatrogenic injury. Results: With shoulder distraction, median joint space width was 4 mm larger (P = .01), IACI area was 9.5 mm 2 lower (P = .003), and there were two fewer total number of IACI lesions (P = .004) compared with nondistracted shoulders. The mean total surgery time was 93 seconds shorter (P = .01) in distracted shoulders. Although distraction was associated with increased visibility of the supraglenoid tubercle (P = .015), no significant differences were found for other intra-articular structures for their visibility and palpability. Unexpected lesions at the sites around the distraction device were not encountered. Conclusion: Use of the distraction device decreased the area and incidence of IACI lesions and shortened the arthroscopy time. However, no improvement was found in the visibility or palpability of the intra-articular structures. Clinical significance: Although additional clinical studies are required to evaluate the effect of the distraction device on pathologic articular conditions and intraoperative manipulation, the use of a shoulder distraction device might improve the outcomes of shoulder arthroscopy by decreasing IACI and arthroscopy time.

Bipolar RF energy without firm tissue contact rapidly and significantly increased joint fluid temperature beyond the level reported to damage chondrocytes (above 45°C). Caution is required in the use of bipolar RF energy in the canine stifle joint.

Objective: To determine the influence of continuous and intermittent bolus irrigation on vertebral canal temperature during thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy. Study Design: Ex vivo study. Sample Population: Ten canine cadavers.Methods: Six consecutive thoracolumbar hemilaminectomies starting at T12-13 with alternating left-or right-side selection, and alternating continuous or intermittent bolus irrigation were performed in each dog resulting in 30 hemilaminectomies per irrigation technique. Drilling was performed for 15 s followed by a 10-s pause and resumed until completion of hemilaminectomy.Continuous irrigation consisted of saline delivered at 15 ml/min during drilling. Bolus irrigation consisted of manual delivery of 10 ml saline during the pause. Temperatures were recorded with two sensors placed within the vertebral canal adjacent to target hemilaminectomy site and compared between techniques with a linear mixed model. Results: Intermittent bolus irrigation was associated with lower peak vertebral canal temperatures (mean 15.7 C; range 9.4-23.3 C) than continuous irrigation (mean 16.7 C; range 9.6-27.6 C, p = .003) (mean difference of 1.1 C, p = .006). Similarly, mean vertebral canal temperatures remained lower when hemilaminectomies were performed under intermittent rather than continuous irrigation (mean difference of 0.48 C, p = .006, linear mixed model). Conclusion:Lower vertebral canal temperatures were maintained during hemilaminectomy with intermittent bolus rather than continuous irrigation. Clinical Significance: Both intermittent bolus and continuous irrigation are suitable to prevent elevations in canine vertebral canal temperature during hemilaminectomy.