Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using implantable venous access ports in the portal vein of dogs
By de Nies, Kiona S et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2019·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Netherlands·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Innovative application of an implantable venous access system in the portal vein: technique, results and complications in three dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three dogs were part of a study where a special device called a vascular access port (VAP) was implanted into their portal vein, which is a blood vessel that supplies the liver. This device allowed the veterinarians to measure blood pressure in the liver, give treatments, and take blood samples without needing to perform multiple surgeries. While the procedure was mostly successful, one dog had the device move out of place after two months, and two others developed small blood clots at the tip of the device after three months. Fortunately, these issues did not cause any serious health problems for the dogs.
People also search for: dog portal vein access port · complications of vascular access in dogs · liver treatment for dogs · dog blood sample collection methods
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Vascular access port (VAP) systems are widely used in human medicine to provide long-term venous access. However, in veterinary medicine the use of VAP systems is not common practice and publications on their potential applications have been limited. A VAP system was used as part of an experimental study on liver regeneration and implanted in the canine portal vein to create direct access to the portal venous circulation of the liver. The aim of the present study is to describe the surgical technique, its use, and the complications of a VAP system in three research dogs. RESULTS: The VAP system was successfully used for the intraoperative measurement of portal blood pressure, the administration of cell suspensions, and the collection of portal venous blood samples. Long-term complications consisted of dislocation of the VAP system in one dog (2 months after implantation) and thrombus formation at the catheter tip in two dogs (3 months after implantation). Both complications prevented further use of the VAP but had no adverse clinical implications. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that the VAP system is an effective and safe technique to obtain long term access to the portal venous system in dogs. However, complications with port detachment and thrombosis may limit long term use of VAPs in the portal system of dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31296216/