Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Higher complication risk with CO2 laser surgery for dog urethral
By Biehl, Kathryn E et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2025·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Resection via carbon dioxide laser for the treatment of canine urethral prolapse is associated with a higher rate of complications.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 20 male dogs with urethral prolapse (a condition where the urethra slips out of place) underwent different surgical treatments to fix the issue. The surgeries included urethropexy, resection and anastomosis, and resection using a carbon dioxide laser. Unfortunately, many dogs experienced complications, with 75% having minor issues like mild bleeding or swelling, and 35% facing major complications, especially those treated with the laser, which had a 100% rate of major problems. The study suggests that while surgery can help, the method chosen can significantly affect recovery and complications.
People also search for: dog urethral prolapse surgery complications · CO2 laser surgery for dogs · male dog bleeding after surgery
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To document and evaluate postoperative complications associated with 3 urethral prolapse surgical techniques: urethropexy (UP), resection and anastomosis (RA), and resection via carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. ANIMALS: 20 male dogs that underwent surgical treatment for urethral prolapse. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Dogs included in this study underwent surgical repair for urethral prolapse. Complications were classified as early if they occurred before discharge, late if they occurred after, and minor or major based on the need for revision. RESULTS: 6 UP, 10 RA, and 4 resection via CO2 laser procedures were performed. Minor complications occurred in 15 of 20 dogs (75%) and included mild hemorrhage (n = 8), hematuria (n = 6), mild swelling of the distal penis (n = 5), recurrence of prolapse that did not require revision (n = 2), pollakiuria (n = 2), stranguria (n = 2), and urethritis (n = 1). Major complications occurred in 7 of 20 dogs (35%): 3 of 6 in the UP group (50%), 0 of 10 in the RA group (0%), and 4 of 4 in the CO2 group (100%). Urethral stricture formation was only noted in the CO2 group. Recurrence occurred in 3 of 6 UP cases (50%), 2 of 10 RA cases (20%), and 1 of 4 CO2 cases (25%). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There are no peer-reviewed publications that describe the use and complications of CO2 lasers in the surgical management of urethral prolapse in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39983302/