Diagnosis and treatment of sliding hiatal hernia and false gastric diverticulum in a British shorthair cat

Abstract

A 7‐year 9‐month‐old, neutered, male British shorthair cat was referred for chronic regurgitation and vomiting. Previous symptomatic medical management did not improve these clinical signs. Survey radiographs and abdominal ultrasound revealed no significant abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract. Exploratory laparotomy was performed to obtain gastrointestinal biopsies. Sliding hiatal hernia and an abnormal gastric outpouching at the fundus, measuring 15 × 15 × 15 mm, were identified. Surgical treatment of the hiatal hernia included phrenoplasty, oesophagopexy and left‐sided gastropexy. Additionally, the gastric outpouching was resected. Histopathologic examination of the excised fundic tissue revealed findings consistent with those indicative of a false gastric diverticulum. Postoperative examinations on Days 5 and 10 and telephone follow‐up on Days 30 and 120 revealed a marked reduction in clinical signs. The combination of surgical techniques—phrenoplasty, left‐sided gastropexy, oesophagopexy and gastric diverticulum resection—was found to effectively improve the cat's clinical signs.