title: Postoperative mortality in cats after ureterolithotomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify preoperative risk factors associated with mortality before discharge in cats having a single or multiple ureterotomy procedures to treat a ureteral obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cats (n=47).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from the medical records (2002-2009) of cats that had undergone ureterolithotomy procedures. Multiple preoperative factors were evaluated for association of survival to discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survival to discharge after ureterolithotomy was 79% (37/47). Over 79% of cats were azotemic before surgery and 94% had chronic kidney disease changes at the time of ultrasonographic diagnosis. Six cats required an additional surgical procedure because of complications with ureterolithotomy. Overall prevalence of postoperative uroabdomen was 6% (3/47). On multivariate analysis, there were no preoperative variables significantly associated with survival to discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ureterolithotomy in cats was associated with a 21% mortality rate before hospital discharge. No preoperative variables associated with mortality were identified; therefore, further studies are needed to identify more discriminating preoperative characteristics for mortality after ureterolithotomy in this population of cats.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Specialty Center of Delaware-New Castle, DE 19720, USA. sroberts@vscdel.com
authors.forename: Scott F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Lillian R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Aronson
authors.forename: Dorothy C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D053039:Ureterolithiasis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*