Technological Advances in Surgical Equipment in Exotic Pet Medicine.

Surgery can be challenging in exotic pets owing to their small size and blood volume, and their increased anesthetic risk compared with small animals. Various devices are available to facilitate suturing, cutting, and hemostasis in the human and veterinary fields. These surgical equipment improve the simplicity, rapidity, and effectiveness of surgery. Vessel-sealing devices, radiosurgery, lasers, and ultrasound devices are commonly used because of their ease of use and increase in surgical efficiency. Other surgical devices are available (eg, stapling devices) but are not discussed in this article.

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS - MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF INTRACRANIAL INFLAMMATORY FIBROSARCOMA IN A MIXED BREED DOG.

An 8-year-old mixed-breed dog presented with progressive behavioral changes and altered mentation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed an olfactory and frontal lobe extra-axial mass. The mass exhibited the following MRI signal intensity characteristics: T2W mixed, T1W iso- to hypointense, FLAIR hyperintense, and strong contrast enhancement. The mass was removed with cavitronic ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) assisted neurosurgery. Based on histopathological appearance and immunohistochemistry, the diagnosis of inflammatory fibrosarcoma was made. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing MRI characteristics of intracranial inflammatory fibrosarcoma in the veterinary literature.

Occlusion of the thoracic duct using ultrasonically activated shears in six dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of sealing the thoracic duct (TD) in dogs using ultrasonically activated shears via thoracoscopy. STUDY DESIGN: In vivo experimental study. ANIMALS: Mature dogs (n = 6). METHODS: Dogs were anesthetized without pulmonary exclusion and positioned in left lateral recumbency. Lymphangiography was performed to identify TD anatomy. Methylene blue was injected into the lymphatic catheter to identify the TD and its branches. Under thoracoscopic guidance (right dorsal 8-10th intercostal spaces), the TD was sealed with an ultrasonic device and lymphangiography was repeated. If the flow of contrast continued beyond the occlusion site, additional attempts to seal the duct were made. Dogs were euthanatized, the TD was excised and fixed in formalin for histopathology. RESULTS: Thoracoscopic identification of the TD was possible in 5 dogs. Three dogs required conversion to a thoracoscopic-assisted approach and 3 dogs required resealing of the TD closer to the diaphragm. Thoracic duct occlusion (TDO) was ultimately achieved in all 6 dogs based on follow-up lymphangiography. TDO by tissue coagulation was confirmed by histopathology. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracoscopic identification and occlusion of the TD using ultrasonically activated shears with bilateral lung ventilation is technically feasible in normal dogs and provides a less invasive alternative to open thoracotomy procedures.