Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Orbital cyst treatment with polidocanol in a dog using imaging
By Matthews, Marissa R et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2025·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Attempted ablation of an orbital cyst in a dog with 1% polidocanol using fluoroscopy and contrast cystography.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old female mixed-breed dog had swelling around her right eye after having her eye removed due to glaucoma three years earlier. After an ultrasound confirmed a cyst in the area, the vet tried a treatment called chemical ablation using a solution called polidocanol. While the cyst initially shrank, it returned a few weeks later, leading to a second treatment attempt that also failed. Ultimately, the dog needed surgery to remove the cyst, which was found to be related to leftover tissue from the previous eye surgery.
People also search for: dog eye swelling treatment · orbital cyst in dogs · polidocanol for dog cysts · dog eye surgery recovery
Abstract
A 4-year-old female spayed mixed-breed dog received enucleation surgery of the right eye in 2018 following the diagnosis of glaucoma. The patient was presented in 2021 for recurrent swelling of the right orbit. Ultrasound confirmed the presence of a cystic structure, and chemical ablation with 1% polidocanol (compounded, Stokes Pharmacy, Mt. Laurel, NJ) and contrast cystography was elected for treatment. Iodinated contrast was injected under fluoroscopy and after no leakage was noted, the contrast was aspirated from the orbital cyst and immediately followed by an injection of 1% polidocanol solution. The orbital cyst collapsed within 24 h but returned 25 days post-injection. A second attempt was made for chemical cyst wall ablation with 1% polidocanol foam and ultrasound guidance. The orbital cyst returned 12 weeks post 1% polidocanol foam injection, and the patient presented for surgical removal. Histopathology revealed an orbital conjunctival inclusion cyst associated with granulomatous and lymphoplasmacytic inflammation. Histopathology confirmed that the draining cyst was lined by conjunctiva and likely represented conjunctival remnants from the previous enucleation. This report describes fluoroscopic guidance for sclerotherapy in the treatment of a post-enucleation orbital cyst in a dog. Contrast cystography may be useful to verify catheter position and demonstrate cyst margins prior to injection. This case report highlights the importance of complete conjunctival excision during enucleation.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39776272/