Estimated intraoperative blood loss in dogs undergoing hemilaminectomy and intervertebral disc fenestration

Abstract

There are no reported estimates of normal or abnormal bleeding in dogs during the hemilaminectomy and intervertebral disc fenestration procedures (HF), and that makes it difficult to study intraoperative complications, hemostasis methods, and the impact of bleeding on surgical performance. This prospective study estimated blood loss during HF procedures in dogs with intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE). Blood loss was quantified by weighing gauzes during the surgical procedure, in addition to measuring the aspirated blood. Total blood volume was estimated according to body weight, and blood loss as a percentage of the total blood volume. The surgeon also subjectively classified the procedures, dividing them into intraoperative difficulty due to bleeding (G1) and absence of intraoperative difficulty (G2). Thirty-two dogs that underwent HF due to IVDE were included. The median blood loss (%) of dogs submitted to HF was 3.9 ± 9.67 of the total blood volume. There was a weak correlation between blood loss and weight, age, incision size, and procedure time.