Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Rectovaginal fistula in female Labrador after colorectal cancer
By Klein, A et al.Ā·Published in The Journal of small animal practiceĀ·2006Ā·Department of Surgery, FranceĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Rectovaginal fistula following colectomy with an end-to-end anastomosis stapler for a colorectal adenocarcinoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 11-year-old female neutered Labrador was brought in after surgery for a colorectal tumor and developed a rectovaginal fistula, which is an abnormal connection between the rectum and vagina, just two days later. The veterinarian performed another surgery to close the fistula and fix a suspected issue with the colon connection. While the stapler device used for the initial surgery made the procedure quicker, this case highlights the importance of careful inspection during surgery to avoid complications. After the follow-up surgery, the dog was treated and monitored for recovery.
People also search for: Labrador rectovaginal fistula treatment Ā· dog colorectal surgery complications Ā· dog tumor surgery recovery
Abstract
An 11-year-old, female neutered Labrador retriever was presented with a micro-invasive differentiated papillar adenocarcinoma at the colorectal junction. A colorectal end-to-end anastomosis stapler device was used to perform resection and anastomosis using a transanal technique. A rectovaginal fistula was diagnosed two days later. An exploratory laparotomy was conducted and the fistula was identified and closed. Early dehiscence of the colon was also suspected and another colorectal anastomosis was performed using a manual technique. Comparison to a conventional manual technique of intestinal surgery showed that the use of an automatic staple device was quicker and easier. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a rectovaginal fistula occurring after end-to-end anastomosis stapler colorectal resection-anastomosis in the dog. To minimise the risk of this potential complication associated with the limited surgical visibility, adequate tissue retraction and inspection of the anastomosis site are essential.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17201830/