Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Complications after lymph node removal in dogs with anal sac cancer
By Huerta, Yael et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2022·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Complications associated with iliosacral lymphadenectomy in dogs with metastatic apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 136 dogs with metastatic anal sac cancer underwent surgery to remove lymph nodes near the pelvis. During the surgery, about 18% experienced bleeding, and some needed blood transfusions. After the operation, complications occurred in about 10%, including swelling, weakness in the back legs, low blood pressure, and infections. The risk of these complications was higher for dogs with larger lymph nodes. It's important for pet owners to discuss these potential risks with their veterinarian before surgery.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report intraoperative and immediate postoperative complications associated with removal of metastatic iliosacral lymph nodes in dogs with apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma. ANIMALS: There were 136 client-owned dogs in the study. PROCEDURE: Retrospective multi-institutional study. The database of collaborating institutions was searched for dogs with metastatic apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma that underwent lymphadenectomy for removal of one or more iliosacral lymph nodes. Information of signalment, hematological abnormalities, abdominal computed tomography or ultrasound findings, number and size of enlarged lymph nodes, intraoperative and postoperative complications, treatment and outcome were collected. RESULTS: The overall complication rate associated with metastatic iliosacral lymphadenectomy was 26.1%. The only intraoperative complication recorded was hemorrhage and was reported in 24 (17.6%) surgeries, 11 (45.8%) of which received a blood transfusion. Postoperative complications were reported in 10.4% of surgeries, and included edema formation (= 4, 2.6%), unilateral or bilateral paraparesis (= 4, 2.6%), hypotension (= 3, 2.0%), surgical site infection (= 2, 1.3%), abdominal incision dehiscence (= 1, 0.6%), urinary incontinence (= 1, 0.6%), and death (= 1, 0.6%). The size of the iliosacral lymph nodes was significantly associated with a greater risk of complications, hemorrhage, and the need of transfusion during lymphadenectomy for metastatic apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION: Complications associated with iliosacral lymphadenectomy for metastatic apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma are relatively common and mostly relate to hemorrhage. These complications are significantly associated with the size of the extirpated metastatic lymph nodes. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This retrospective study provides information for the clinician regarding the potential surgical complications for extirpation of metastatic iliosacral lymph nodes. These complications, although not common, can be severe and should be discussed with owners before surgery.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36060485/