Case summary
A 4-year-old female neutered domestic longhair cat was presented at a referral hospital
for dyspnoea with a history of suspected pleural effusion. Thoracic ultrasonography
demonstrated a large-volume pericardial effusion causing cardiac tamponade and a cystic
mass within the pericardium. CT revealed a peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia
(PPDH) caused by a defect of the ventral diaphragm. Herniated contents consisted of the
right lateral and caudate liver lobes, and an associated cystic hepatic mass. Ventral
midline coeliotomy was performed for herniorrhaphy and partial pericardiectomy, together
with lobectomy of the incarcerated liver mass. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry
diagnosed a poorly differentiated hepatic sarcoma with inflammation and remodelling in
the adjacent incarcerated liver parenchyma. The patient developed metastatic sarcoma 2
months after surgery and was euthanased as a result.
Relevance and novel information
Pericardial effusion causing cardiac tamponade is a previously unreported sequelae to
PPDH in cats. Reports on the presence of malignancy in incarcerated liver are scarce and
the location is not typical for a sarcoma in this species.
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