Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Survival and outcomes after spleen removal for splenic hematoma in 35
By Patten, Steve G et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2016·Department of Clinical Studies, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Outcome and prognostic factors for dogs with a histological diagnosis of splenic hematoma following splenectomy: 35 cases (2001-2013).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 35 dogs with splenic hematomas (blood-filled swellings in the spleen) underwent surgery to remove the spleen. While most of these dogs had a good recovery, with a median survival time of about 647 days, there were concerns about misdiagnosis since splenic hematomas can look like cancerous tumors during surgery. Some dogs showed signs of other health issues, and a few had evidence of cancer when they were euthanized. Overall, the prognosis for dogs diagnosed with splenic hematomas is generally positive, but it's important for owners to be aware of the potential for hidden cancer.
People also search for: dog splenic hematoma treatment · dog spleen surgery recovery · signs of dog cancer after surgery
Abstract
Canine splenic hematoma can be indistinguishable from hemangiosarcoma on clinical presentation and grossly at the time of surgery. However, hemangiosarcoma represents an aggressive malignancy and a misdiagnosis of hematoma would forgo indications for chemotherapy. This study describes a long-term follow-up of cases with a histologic diagnosis of splenic hematoma following splenectomy to determine if the clinical course of the disease corroborated the diagnosis. Thirty-five dogs were evaluated to determine survival and prognostic associations with signalment and clinical data. Overall median survival time was 647 days (range: 0 to 3287 days). Statistically significant variables included a palpable abdominal mass during physical examination, sub-clinical coagulopathy, and metastasis. Four cases (11%) had reported evidence of metastasis at the time of euthanasia; 1 case was histologically confirmed. Overall prognosis for splenic hematoma appears excellent, as expected, but a small proportion of cases may have an undiagnosed malignant component.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27493283/