Contributors: Kyle Mathews
Species: Canine | Classification: Techniques
Introduction Requirements Preparation Procedure Aftercare Outcomes Further Reading
Introduction
- Access to abdominal (also potentially thoracic and pelvic) cavity.
Uses
- Treatment of various lesions (almost all abdominal organs can be exposed optimally).
- Investigation when other options are unavailable or inconclusive.
Advantages
- Access to pelvic organs: extension via pubic symphysiotomy.
- Access to thoracic organs: extension via sternotomy or diaphragmatic incision.
- Allows full assessment of entire abdomen.
- Fast and usually avascular approach.
- Can improve access to craniodorsal abdomen with paracostal extension (rarely indicated).
Alternative Techniques
- Flank: left or right flank Laparotomy: flank.
- Paracostal.
- Paramedian.
Decision Taking
Criteria for choosing test
- Always briefly discuss specific surgical risks before surgery with the owner.
- Clear advice on possible adverse sequelae is more effective before surgery and if given in writing.
Requirements
Materials Required
Preparation
Dietary Preparation
- Starvation 12 hours before to avoid reflux esophagitis.
Site Preparation
Restraint
- General anesthetic General anesthesia: overview.
- Consider epidural analgesia.
Procedure
Approach
Step 1 -
- Dorsal recumbency.
Step 2 -
- Midline incision through skin and subcutis
.
Count sponges before cutting - sponges with radiopaque markers are preferred.
Step 3 -
- Identify linea alba, which appears as trough between 2 rectus muscles, with minimum of blunt dissection/undermining
.
- In male, if access to caudal abdominal or intrapelvic structures is required:
- Caudal incision paramedian around penis, prepuce.
- Cut subcutaneous preputial muscles.
- Reflect penis, prepuce laterally.
- Ligate branches of external pudendal vessels.
Step 4 -
- Raise linea alba, penetrate with stab incision
.
Use guarded scalpel blade.. - Using scissors, or scalpel with Brodie director, extend cranial and caudal as required, incising linea and underlying peritoneum
.
- Avoid underlying viscera by continuing to elevate linea alba and/or placing finger or grooved director within abdomen under line of incision.
- Ligate/cauterize small vessels.
If using retractor protect exposed tissues with saline soaked swabs.. - Extend with sternotomy or pubic symphysiotomy if necessary, or with paracostal incision.
Exit
Step 1 -
- Close body wall in single layer
.
Inclusion of peritoneum increases incidence of adhesions.. - Include only external rectus sheath
.
Step 2 -
- Simple continuous suture of monofilament nylon, polypropylene, polyglactin or polydioxanone is rapid and secure.
Use simple interrupted technique if chromic catgut used.. - Use taper cut needle.
- Variable size suture material:
- 3/0 small dogs.
- 2/0 small - medium dogs.
- 0 medium - large dogs.
Step 3 -
- Simple continuous suture, with fine absorbable material, in subcutis.
Step 4 -
Aftercare
Immediate
Analgesia
- Always Analgesia: overview.
Outcomes
Further Reading
Publications
Refereed papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Rosin E & Richardson S (1987) Effect of fascial closure technique on strength of healing abdominal incisions in the dog. A biomechanical study. Vet Surg 16 (4), 269-272 PubMed.
- Rosin E (1985) Single layer, simple continuous suture pattern for closure of abdominal incisions. JAAHA 21 (6), 751-756 VetMedResource.
- Crowe D T Jr. (1978) Closure of abdominal incisions using a continuous polypropylene suture - clinical experience in 550 dogs and cats. Vet Surg 7 (3), 74-77 Wiley Online Library.