Cholecystoenterostomy for treatment of extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction in cats: 22 cases (1994-2003).
OBJECTIVE
To identify factors associated with outcome in cats with extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction (EHBTO) that undergo biliary diversion surgery.


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


METHODS
22 cats.


METHODS
Medical records of cats with surgically confirmed EHBTO that underwent cholecystoenterostomy were reviewed.


RESULTS
Clinical signs and physical examination findings included vomiting, anorexia, icterus, lethargy, weakness, and weight loss. Common clinicopathologic abnormalities included high serum hepatic enzyme activities and serum bilirubin concentration. Abdominal ultrasonography was performed in 21 cats, and all 21 had findings consistent with EHBTO. Eleven of 15 cats in which blood pressure was monitored had intraoperative hypotension. Eighteen cats had anemia following surgery, and 14 cats had persistent hypotension. Extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction was a result of neoplasia in 9 cats and chronic inflammatory disease in 13. Fourteen cats survived long enough to be discharged from the hospital, but only 6 survived > 6 months after surgery, all of which had chronic inflammatory disease. Median survival time for cats with neoplasia (14 days) was significantly shorter than that for cats with inflammatory disease (255 days). No other variable was associated with outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that cats with EHBTO secondary to neoplasia have a poorer prognosis than cats with EHBTO secondary to chronic inflammatory disease. However, the overall prognosis for cats with EHBTO undergoing cholecystoenterostomy must be considered guarded to poor, and the incidence of perioperative complications is high.
Buote
Nicole J
NJ
Department of Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
Mitchell
Susan L
SL
Penninck
Dominique
D
Freeman
Lisa M
LM
Webster
Cynthia R L
CR
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002415:Cats; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D001651:Cholestasis, Extrahepatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006932:Hyperbilirubinemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D007022:Hypotension / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D015431:Weight Loss