Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vision-preserving eye tumor surgery in a small-breed dog
By Kang, Jae-Ik et al.·Published in Veterinary medicine and science·2026·Department of Ophthalmology, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Novel Combined Approach for Vision-Preserving Iridociliary Tumour Excision in a Small-Breed Dog: Contralateral Iris Excision With En-Bloc Scleral Resection.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old male Chihuahua was treated for a recurring eye tumor that threatened his vision. The veterinarian performed a special surgery that involved removing the tumor along with some surrounding tissue while trying to preserve his eyesight. Although the surgery had some complications, like temporary eye inflammation and bleeding, these issues cleared up within a month. At a follow-up appointment three months later, the dog was still able to see well, despite developing a small cataract and some signs of retinal detachment. This innovative surgical method could be a good option for other small dogs facing similar problems.
People also search for: Chihuahua eye tumor treatment · dog cataract surgery · small breed dog eye problems
Abstract
This case report presents the first application of a novel combined surgical approach incorporating contralateral iris excision with en-bloc scleral resection for managing a recurrent iridociliary epithelial tumour in a small-breed dog. A 7-year-old castrated male Chihuahua (3.2 kg) presented with a recurrent iridociliary tumour following initial biopsy. Vision-preserving surgery was performed using an innovative combined contralateral and postero-anterior approach with bipolar cautery for haemostasis. The technique involved initial precise excision of tumour-bearing iris tissue through corneal paracentesis positioned opposite to the tumour location using miotic agents for accurate tumour margin assessment, followed by en-bloc excision of the tumour with adjacent scleral tissue via a stepped scleral flap approach. En-bloc tumour excision with intended 2-3 mm margins, including adjacent scleral tissue, was performed, though histopathology revealed incomplete excision at some borders. The tumour was confirmed as a highly pigmented iridociliary epithelial tumour with minimal scleral invasion. Postoperative complications included transient anterior uveitis and mild hyphema, both resolving within 4 weeks. At 3-month follow-up, the patient maintained functional vision despite developing incipient cataract and suspected partial retinal detachment. This novel combined contralateral approach with en-bloc scleral resection represents the first successful vision-sparing procedure specifically designed and reported in a small-breed dog, offering a promising alternative to conventional approaches and addressing the surgical space limitations encountered in small-breed patients.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41664941/