Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with chylothorax treated using omentum drain surgery
By Williams, J M & Niles, J D·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·1999·Small Animal Teaching Hospital, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Use of omentum as a physiologic drain for treatment of chylothorax in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6-year-old male Rhodesian Ridgeback was brought in because he was having trouble exercising and was struggling to breathe. He was diagnosed with idiopathic chylothorax, a condition where fluid builds up in the chest, and previous attempts to drain the fluid didn't work. During surgery, the vet used a piece of tissue from the dog's abdomen to help drain the fluid more effectively. The dog recovered well and has not shown any signs of the problem returning for 16 months.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · Rhodesian Ridgeback chylothorax treatment · dog surgery for fluid in chest
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To describe a novel technique for the surgical treatment of idiopathic chylothorax in a dog. ANIMALS: A 6-year-old, male Rhodesian Ridgeback, which presented with a history of reduced exercise tolerance and dyspnea. METHODS: Idiopathic chylothorax was diagnosed. Intermittent pleural drainage failed to resolve the problem. During surgery, extensive pleural fibrosis made it impossible to identify the thoracic duct. A dorsal omental pedicle was advanced through an incision in the diaphragm and into the cranial thoracic cavity to act as a physiological drain. RESULTS: The dog recovered well and has remained free from clinical signs of recurrence of the effusion (16 months at the time of writing). CONCLUSIONS: The disease-free interval achieved in this dog indicates that this novel technique is worthy of further consideration in the management of idiopathic chylothorax.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10025642/