Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Continuous vacuum drainage treatment for dog ear hematoma
By Lahiani, Joachim & Niebauer, Gert W·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2020·Val-de-Marne, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: On the nature of canine aural haematoma and its treatment with continuous vacuum drainage.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old mixed-breed dog was brought in with a swollen ear due to an aural hematoma, which is a collection of fluid in the ear flap. The veterinarian treated the dog using a continuous vacuum drainage method, which helped remove the fluid effectively. Out of the ten dogs treated with this method, nine had successful outcomes without any recurrence after six months, and they looked great afterward. One dog had to have the drain removed early due to an infection, but overall, this treatment was comfortable for the dogs and produced excellent results.
People also search for: dog swollen ear treatment · aural hematoma in dogs · vacuum drainage for dog ear problems
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate continuous vacuum drainage from the convex side of the pinna for surgical treatment of aural haematoma in dogs. To investigate aural haematoma fluid and cartilage samples harvested during surgery in an attempt to elucidate the etiopathogenesis of the lesion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten client-owned dogs with aural haematoma were treated by convex-side vacuum drainage using different types of vacuum drains and containers and were followed-up for at least 6 months. Systemic blood samples and aural haematoma fluids were analysed for biochemical, haematologic and electrophoretic content. Cartilage samples were examined histologically. RESULTS: Nine of the 10 dogs were successfully treated without recurrence at 6 months postoperatively and with excellent cosmetic results. In one case, infection required early drain removal and delayed healing was associated with wrinkling of the pinna. Fluid sample analysis suggested that "aural haematoma" contains a transudate that accumulates within a cartilage-lined cavity. Histologic examination of the tissue samples revealed clefts of the pinna cartilage, with the luminal surface often lined with granulation tissue. Fluids and cartilage lacked evidence of inflammation. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This technique was characterised by patient comfort, tolerance of drains, absence of dressings and good cosmetic outcome. The results of fluid analysis suggest that the term "aural seroma" would be more appropriate for this condition.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31975442/