Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage helps dogs with bile duct
By Herman, Beth A et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2005·VCA Veterinary Referral Associates, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Therapeutic percutaneous ultrasound-guided cholecystocentesis in three dogs with extrahepatic biliary obstruction and pancreatitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three dogs were brought in for sudden vomiting and abdominal pain due to acute pancreatitis, which caused their gallbladders to become swollen and blocked. Vets used a special ultrasound-guided procedure called cholecystocentesis to relieve the pressure in the gallbladders, and this significantly lowered their bilirubin levels. Two of the dogs improved without needing surgery, while the third required an exploratory surgery due to concerns about fluid buildup, but no gallbladder damage was found. Most dogs with this condition can recover without surgery as their pancreatitis improves.
People also search for: dog vomiting pancreatitis treatment · gallbladder blockage in dogs · ultrasound-guided cholecystocentesis for dogs
Abstract
Three dogs were examined because of acute pancreatitis. In all 3, distension of the gallbladder was seen ultrasonographically, and extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction (EHBO) was diagnosed on the basis of ultrasonographic findings and serum biochemical abnormalities (i.e., high serum bilirubin and cholesterol concentrations and increased hepatic enzyme activities). In all 3 dogs, percutaneous ultrasound-guided cholecystocentesis (PUCC) was used to decompress the gallbladder, with cholecystocentesis performed multiple times in 1 dog. Serum bilirubin concentration was substantially decreased following the procedure in all 3 dogs. Two of the 3 dogs did not require surgery to resolve the obstruction. In the third dog, an exploratory laparotomy was performed because of concerns about development of abdominal effusion following the procedure. Bile staining of the mesenteric fat was seen during the laparotomy, but no defect in the gallbladder wall could be identified. In most dogs with EHBO secondary to pancreatitis, the obstruction resolves spontaneously as the acute pancreatitis improves so that surgery is not required. In those few dogs in which EHBO does not resolve or in which EHBO results in complications, therapeutic PUCC may be useful in relieving gallbladder distension.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16342527/