Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Chylous fluid around heart cleared after valve balloon treatment
By Groesser, N & Beijerink, N·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2022·AniCura Specialistisch Verwijscentrum Haaglanden, Netherlands·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Resolution of chylopericardium after balloon dilatation of tricuspid valve stenosis in a Labrador Retriever.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old female Labrador Retriever was brought to the vet because she was having trouble exercising, wasn't eating much, and had a swollen belly. Tests showed she had fluid around her heart, which was causing serious problems. The vet drained the fluid and found it was chylous, meaning it was rich in fats. They discovered that her tricuspid valve was narrowed, so they performed a balloon procedure to widen it. This treatment helped her heart function better and resolved the fluid buildup around her heart, allowing her to recover well.
People also search for: Labrador exercise intolerance · dog heart problems treatment · chylopericardium in dogs · tricuspid valve stenosis in dogs
Abstract
A 2-year-old 33 kg female castrated Labrador Retriever was referred for exercise intolerance, hyporexia, and abdominal distention. Point-of-care ultrasound revealed ascites, hepatic congestion, severe pericardial effusion, and cardiac tamponade. Pericardiocentesis was performed, and the chylous nature of the fluid was confirmed by cytology, triglyceride, and cholesterol measurements. Repeated pericardiocentesis was necessary within 24-h after admission, after which a pericardial stay-catheter was placed. Cardiac ultrasound revealed severe tricuspid valve stenosis. Balloon dilatation of the stenotic valve was performed, resulting in a significant drop in the mean diastolic trans-valvular Doppler gradient and long-term resolution of the chylopericardium. No other cause for the pericardial effusion could be identified, suggesting that this is the first described case of chylopericardium due to tricuspid valve stenosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35738154/