Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Complications and survival after ureteral bypass surgery in 24 cats
By Vrijsen, Emily et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2021·Small Animal Department·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Complications and survival after subcutaneous ureteral bypass device placement in 24 cats: a retrospective study (2016-2019).
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 24 cats underwent a procedure to place a subcutaneous ureteral bypass (SUB) device to help with urinary issues. Unfortunately, nearly 80% of these cats experienced complications, which included urinary infections and blockages, and 5 cats sadly died before they could go home. The older the cat, the higher the chance of complications and lower chances of surviving the procedure. While some cats did recover and were monitored closely afterward, owners should be prepared for potential follow-up visits and costs.
People also search for: cat urinary blockage treatment · subcutaneous ureteral bypass complications · older cat surgery risks
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to document survival, complications and risk factors for the development of complications and mortality prior to discharge after placement of a subcutaneous ureteral bypass (SUB) device in cats. METHODS: The medical records of cats with SUB placement between January 2016 and August 2019 were retrospectively analysed. The development of complications (overall, intraoperative, perioperative, short- and long-term complications) and risk factors for mortality prior to discharge were statistically assessed with univariate binary logistic regression. All variables with avalue ⩽0.10 in the univariate analysis were assessed in a multivariate model. Variables were significant if<0.05. RESULTS: Twenty-four cats were included; 12 (50.0%) received a unilateral SUB, 11 (45.8%) a bilateral nephrostomy tube with single cystostomy catheter and the remaining cat (4.2%) two unilateral SUBs. Nearly 80% of the cats developed complications, ranging from mild to fatal, including (partial) SUB obstruction (33.3% of complications), lower urinary tract infection (20.8%), pyelonephritis (20.8%) and sterile cystitis (12.5%). Five cats (20.8%) died prior to discharge. Six cats (25.0%) underwent revision surgery. The overall median survival time (MST) was 274 days (range 1-311 days). Complications were most common in the long-term period (14/16 cats), followed by the short-term (9/18 cats), perioperative (10/23 cats) and intraoperative (4/24 cats) periods. Older cats had an increased risk for developing perioperative complications ( = 0.045) and were less likely to survive to discharge ( = 0.033). An increased haematocrit at presentation was a risk factor for the occurrence of short-term complications ( = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Although complications similar to those previously described were observed, the complication rate was higher and the MST shorter than previously reported in cats undergoing SUB placement. Despite good short-term survival, the development of complications may necessitate regular and intensive control visits. Owners that consider SUB placement should be informed that follow-up can be strenuous and expensive.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33231515/