Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Parasternal thoracotomy surgery in cats has good short-term survival
By Gabriel, Kristen E et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2025·1Veterinary Specialty Services·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Parasternal thoracotomy via sternocostal disarticulation can be performed in cats with good short-term outcomes.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 25 cats underwent a surgical procedure called parasternal thoracotomy to treat various health issues, and most of them (92%) were able to go home after surgery. While half of the cats had some complications, most were minor and not expected to cause serious problems. Only two cats had small issues with their incisions. Overall, the surgery showed good short-term outcomes, and the identified abnormalities on follow-up X-rays were not considered significant.
People also search for: cat surgery recovery · parasternal thoracotomy in cats · cat incision complications · cat thoracic surgery outcomes
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the short-term outcomes and complications in cats following parasternal thoracotomy via sternocostal disarticulation. METHODS: Medical records of cats that underwent parasternal thoracotomy at a single private practice from October 2017 to October 2023 were reviewed. Signalment, diagnoses, surgical details, hospitalization time, complications, and short-term outcomes were recorded. Follow-up thoracic radiographs were retrospectively reviewed, when available, for any closure-related abnormalities. RESULTS: Of 25 cats that underwent parasternal thoracotomy for treatment of various diseases, 92% survived to discharge. All cats surviving to discharge also survived at least 10 days postoperatively. Postoperative complications were noted in 50% of cats. Seven of the 12 complications (58%) were incidental sternal or sternocostal abnormalities noted on radiographs. Two cats (8.7%) experienced incisional complications, both of which were minor. CONCLUSIONS: Cats undergoing parasternal thoracotomy via rib disarticulation had a favorable short-term survival rate. The identified radiographic abnormalities were not suspected to be clinically significant, and no other complications unique to this approach were identified. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Parasternal thoracotomy may be a suitable alternative to traditional approaches when thoracic exploration is indicated in cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40581062/