Thoracoscopic treatment of bullous emphysema in 3 dogs

Abstract

Thoracoscopy offers several advantages compared with thoracotomy for treatment and diagnosis of idiopathic pneumothorax, including ease of identification of bullae and reduced postoperative pain and morbidity.

Thoracoscopic-assisted lung lobectomy using hem-o-lok clips in a dog with lung lobe torsion: a case report

“…The introduction of safe linear stapling devices has made thoracoscopic-assisted segmental long resections possible in human medicine (De Letter and Proot 1995). Previous veterinary reports related to thoracoscopic lobectomy have also used automatic stapling equipment as an alternative suturing technique, and the patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy were medium or large breed dogs weighing more than 15 kg (Brissot et al 2003;Lansdowne et al 2005;Laksito et al 2010;Pelaez and Jolliffe 2012). However, the stapling device is difficult to position in a small thorax owing to the size of the cartridges (He et al 1996), as was the case in this Maltese dog.…”

“…The use of thoracoscopy for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures has increased in veterinary medicine owing to its advantages of reduced postoperative morbidity and rapid recovery (Walsh et al 1999;De Rycke et al 2001;Brissot et al 2003). Among indications, thoracoscopy has successfully been used on lung lobectomies in dogs with tumours (Lansdowne et al 2005;Laksito et al 2010), foreign bodies (Pelaez and Jolliffe 2012) and bullous emphysema (Brissot et al 2003).…”

“…Among indications, thoracoscopy has successfully been used on lung lobectomies in dogs with tumours (Lansdowne et al 2005;Laksito et al 2010), foreign bodies (Pelaez and Jolliffe 2012) and bullous emphysema (Brissot et al 2003). The introduction of safe linear stapling devices has made thoracoscopic-assisted segmental long resections possible in human medicine (De Letter and Proot 1995).…”

Emphysematous lesions in the right cranial lung lobe and torsion of the right medial lung lobe in a British shorthair cat: a case report

“…Long-term outcome for lobe torsion disorder in surgically treated animals appears to be fair-to-guarded, with an overall survival rate of approximately 50% in the first postoperative months (Neath et al 2000). In surgical patients with lobular emphysematous lesions, the long-term outcome is good-to-excellent; however a risk of continuing air leakage from disseminated lesions persists (Brissot et al 2003;Lipscomb et al 2003). According to the published literature, there is a minimal rate of recurrence in dogs treated with surgery (Puerto et al 2002); but useful quantities of clinical data are missing in cats.…”

“…Bullae are divided into several subtypes, depending on the size and location (near the lung surface versus deep within the parenchyma). Blebs are superficial air pockets trapped inside visceral pleura and, therefore, more prone to deterioration when a sudden rise in intrathoracic pressure occurs (Brissot et al 2003;Bertolini et al 2009;Milne et al 2010;Ruth et al 2011). Bullae and blebs formation are reported as either primary idiopathic or secondary effects (i.e., a result of underlying disease or trauma) (Kramek et al 1985;Grosslinger et al 2000;White et al 2003;Matsumoto et al 2004).…”