Although many studies have been conducted on the use of median and transverse incisions in various surgeries in the field of human medicine, related studies in veterinary medicine are lacking. This study aimed to present treatment options for dogs requiring cholecystectomy by reporting the pros and cons of 121 cholecystectomies performed via transverse incision at our hospital over 10 years. In most included cases, nonelective cholecystectomy was performed in an unstable emergency situation. The perioperative mortality rate was 23.14%, which was not significantly different from that of cholecystectomy performed via the conventional midline approach. However, the overall operation time (46.24 ± 6.13 min; range 35–65 min) was shortened by securing an adequate surgical field of view. The transverse incision approach facilitates fast and accurate surgery without increasing the fatality rate in small-breed dogs, in whom securing an adequate surgical field of view is difficult. Thus, transverse incision should be actively considered in dogs undergoing cholecystectomy due to emergency conditions, such as bile leakage or biliary tract obstruction, since prolonged anesthesia can be burdensome. This study may improve cholecystectomy outcomes in small-breed dogs with difficult-to-secure surgical fields.

The aim of this study was to evaluate double-pigtail ureteral stent fixation in cats. Medical records of 19 cats (23 ureters) with complete ureteral obstruction that double-pigtail ureteral stent placement were carried out were retrospectively reviewed. The cats were randomly classified into two groups; 13 cats (16 ureters) with double-pigtail ureteral stent fixed to urinary bladder (SF group) and 6 cats (7 ureters) with not fixed to urinary bladder (SNF group). The average age and weight of the cats was 7.4 years and 3.73 kg, respectively. Postoperative complications included chronic renal failure (n = 11), lower urinary track diseases (cystitis, hematuria, pollakiuria) (n = 7), stent migration (n = 6), anemia (n = 5), ascites (n = 2), hyperthermia (n = 1), enteritis (n = 1), oliguria (n = 1), hypotension (n = 1), ureteritis (n = 1), and pyelonephritis (n = 1). Stent migration did not occur in the 16 ureters of the cats in SF group but did occur in 4 out of 7 ureters of the cats in SNF group. The prevention of stent migration by stent fixation was significant (P = 0.04). Among the 13 cats in SF group, only 2 cats developed lower urinary track diseases, while 4 of the 6 cats in SNF group showed symptoms of lower urinary track disease. Thus, the cats that underwent doublepigtail ureteral stent fixation to the urinary bladder developed significantly fewer lower urinary diseases (P = 0.046). In conclusion, double-pigtail ureteral stent fixation to the urinary bladder for treatment of complete ureteral obstruction in cats can effectively prevent stent migration, which is common complication of stent placement.

Kim J, et al. J Vet Sci. 2023 May;24:e46. https://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.23003

Yeon-Jung Hong, Hyung-Kyu Chae, Sung-Jun Yoon, Kyoung-In Shin, Hyun-Min Hwang, Ju-Yeon Jung, Seongjin Yun, Byeong-Jun Jang, Oh-Kyeong Kweon. J Vet Clin 2022;39:384-9. https://doi.org/10.17555/jvc.2022.39.6.384