title: Evaluation of the abdomen using ultrasound following a ventral midline celiotomy.
abstract: Over the last 20 years, ultrasound has become a useful diagnostic tool in veterinary medicine. The purpose of this study was to use ultrasonographic examinations to determine if intra-abdominal contents could be visualized. Nineteen dogs, ranging from 8 months to 18 years of age were included. Each animal was evaluated sonographically prior to surgery, 24 h after surgery, and then 2-6 weeks following the surgical procedure. The results of our study suggest that ultrasound is an effective means for evaluation of the abdomen and surgery site following surgery. Both the abdomen and surgery site were clearly visualized in all dogs. In addition, subjective evaluation of the intra-abdominal contents was performed. The limiting factor in this study was not the presence of air, as was expected. Rather the limiting factor for appropriate visualization was pain. The information obtained could prove to be useful to surgeons and radiologists in assessing a patient's status postoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center, 4444 Trinity Mills Rd, Dallas, TX 75287, USA. jeffdvm@summerpiercephotography.com
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weinstein
authors.forename: Kerri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jessen
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D014463:Ultrasonography