Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Risk factors for complications after dog liver tumor surgery
By Konno, Ryusei et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2026·Faculty of Agriculture, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Risk factors for complications associated with canine hepatic mass resection: A study of 96 cases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 96 dogs that had surgery to remove liver masses were monitored for complications in the weeks following the procedure. Some dogs experienced severe issues, including six that sadly passed away. Researchers found that dogs with existing health problems and those with a closer distance between the mass and a major blood vessel had a higher risk of serious complications. This study suggests that checking for underlying health issues and using CT scans to assess the mass's location before surgery could help predict and manage surgical risks better.
People also search for: dog liver mass surgery complications · canine hepatic mass resection risks · dog surgery recovery issues
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To identify pre- and intraoperative risk factors for complications occurring within 2 weeks following hepatic mass resection in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: A total of 96 client-owned dogs that underwent hepatic mass resection. METHODS: The evaluated preoperative variables were the signalment, clinical signs, presence of underlying diseases, blood test results (e.g., hematocrit), and computed tomography (CT) findings (mass location, maximum diameter, mass volume, and distance between the mass and the caudal vena cava [CVC]). The evaluated intraoperative variables were the surgical time, procedure details (e.g., surgical techniques), presence of intraoperative hypotension and hypoxemia, and blood transfusion. Comparisons were made between dogs with severe postoperative complications (including mortality) and those with mild or moderate complications. Univariable logistic regression was performed, and significant variables were used to construct multivariable models by combining them. RESULTS: Severe postoperative complications were observed in 17 dogs (17.7%), including six deaths (6.3%). Multivariable logistic regression analyses identified the presence of underlying diseases (OR: 2.703; p = .007), corrected distance from the mass to the CVC (OR: 0.666 per 0.1 cm/kg increase; p = .017), and intraoperative hypotension (OR: 3.589; p = .019) as risk factors for severe postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Among preoperative variables, both the presence of underlying diseases and the corrected distance from the mass to the CVC were associated with severe postoperative complications. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Preoperative CT evaluation of the distance between the hepatic mass and the CVC, along with screening for underlying diseases, may contribute to improve the prediction of surgical risk.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40965229/