Complications of hepatic surgery in companion animals

• Published in: The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice Vol. 41; no. 5; p. 935
• Main Authors: May, Lauren R, Mehler, Stephen J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-09-2011
• Subjects: Animals; Biopsy, Needle - veterinary; Cat Diseases - pathology; Cat Diseases - surgery; Cats; Dog Diseases - pathology; Dog Diseases - surgery; Dogs; Hepatectomy - veterinary; Liver - surgery; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Liver Neoplasms - veterinary; Postoperative Complications - prevention & control; Postoperative Complications - veterinary
• ISSN: 1878-1306
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2011.05.007

The most common hepatic procedures performed in companion animals are liver biopsies and partial or complete liver lobectomies. Although these procedures are relatively simple to perform in healthy animals, surgery in clinical patients with liver disease is often complicated by the presence of significant systemic illness or by the technical challenges associated with removing massive hepatic tumors. An in-depth understanding of the possible complications that can occur with hepatic surgery helps to provide the best possible outcome for the patient by allowing the surgeon to not only take precautions to try to prevent complications but allows one to monitor for them postoperatively and treat them early if noted.