Outcomes of cellophane banding for congenital portosystemic shunts in 106 dogs and 5 cats.
OBJECTIVE
To report outcomes after cellophane banding of single congenital portosystemic shunts in dogs and cats.


METHODS
Retrospective study of sequential cases.


METHODS
One hundred and six dogs and five cats.


METHODS
Medical records were reviewed for breed, sex, age at surgery, shunt anatomy, results of pre- and postoperative biochemical analysis, development of postligation neurologic dysfunction, portal hypertension or other serious complications, and the owners' perception of their animal's response to surgery.


RESULTS
Ninety-five dogs and all 5 cats had extrahepatic shunts. Eleven dogs had intrahepatic shunts. Six dogs (5.5%) died as a result of surgery from portal hypertension (2 dogs), postligation neurologic dysfunction (2), splenic hemorrhage (1) and suspected narcotic overdose (1). Serious complications were more common in dogs with intrahepatic shunts than those with extrahepatic shunts (P=.002). Postligation neurologic dysfunction necessitated treatment in 10 dogs and 1 cat; 8 dogs and the cat survived. Clinical signs attributed to portosystemic shunting resolved or were substantially attenuated in all survivors. Postoperative serum bile acid concentrations or results of ammonia tolerance testing were available for 88 animals; 74 (84%) were normal and 14 (16%) were abnormal. Multiple acquired shunts were documented in two animals.


CONCLUSIONS
Cellophane banding is a safe and effective alternative to other methods of attenuation.


CONCLUSIONS
Slow occlusion of portosystemic shunts using a variety of methods is being evaluated world wide. Cellophane banding is a relatively simple procedure with comparable safety and efficacy to previously reported techniques.
Hunt
Geraldine B
GB
Veterinary Cardiovascular Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. gbhunt@mail.usyd.edu.au
Kummeling
Anne
A
Tisdall
Penelope L C
PL
Marchevsky
Andrew M
AM
Liptak
Julius M
JM
Youmans
K Ruth
KR
Goldsmid
Sarah E
SE
Beck
Jason A
JA
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D002415:Cats; D002476:Cellophane; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000151:congenital / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D010375:Pedigree; D011168:Portal System / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D011996:Records / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013537:Sutures / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002476:Cellophane