Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat facial tumor removed and skin flap used to repair defect
By Allen, S W et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1997·Department of Small Animal Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Repair of a facial defect with an interpolation skin flap in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old domestic shorthair cat had a cancerous growth (fibrosarcoma) removed from its face, but after surgery, there was a large area that couldn't be stitched closed. To fix this, the vet used a technique called an interpolation skin flap, taking skin from the side of the cat's face to cover the defect. Although the tumor came back near the eye four months later, it was successfully treated with laser surgery and cryotherapy. The cat didn't have any further tumor recurrences for 2.5 years and was later euthanized for unrelated reasons, with no signs of the cancer found during the necropsy.
People also search for: cat facial tumor treatment · cat skin flap surgery · fibrosarcoma in cats · cat cancer recurrence signs
Abstract
A 9-year-old domestic shorthair cat was referred for removal of a rostrally located fibrosarcoma on the face, which had previously recurred twice following excision. A wide excision was performed, using a neodymium:yttrium-aluminumgarnet (Nd:YAG) laser, resulting in a facial defect that could not be closed by primary suture. An interpolation skin flap was elevated, using skin from the side of the cat's face, and sutured in place over the defect. Recurrence of the tumor at the medial canthus of the left eye, which was observed 4 months after surgery, was treated by laser excision and cryotherapy. Other recurrences of the fibrosarcoma were not noticed for 2.5 years after referral, at which time the cat was euthanatized for other reasons. Necropsy revealed that the fibrosarcoma had not recurred. In this cat, an interpolation skin flap was useful in repairing a large rostral facial defect. Care should be taken when elevating this flap to preserve the palpebral nerve.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9143537/