title: Quantification of tissue shrinkage in canine small intestinal specimens after resection and fixation.
abstract: The aim of this study was to quantify the longitudinal shrinkage of canine small intestinal specimens after resection and fixation in 10% formalin. Samples were obtained from 12 clinically normal dogs of medium to large breed via ventral midline coeliotomy and enterectomy. The length of each sample was measured before excision, immediately after excision, and after 24 h in 10% formalin. The results were interpreted with the use of single-sample t-tests of the average changes; P-values of less than 0.01 were considered significant. The samples indicated a significant decrease in length after resection and fixation. The mean shrinkage from the pre-excision state was 28.3% immediately after excision (P < 0.0001) and 26.3% after 24 h of fixation (P < 0.0001). There was a small but not significant increase in the length of the specimens between the 2nd and 3rd measurement points. Quantification of the longitudinal shrinkage of resected intestinal specimens may improve interpretation of the distance of surgical margins from abnormal tissue in histopathology reports and allow investigation of the margins required for the clearance of specific tumors.
authors.affiliation: North Coast Veterinary Specialists, 431 Tanawha Tourist Drive, Tanawha, Queensland 4556, Australia (Clarke); University of Queensland, School of Veterinary Science, Gatton, Queensland, Australia (Banks); VRCC Veterinary Referrals, 1 Bramston Way, Laindon, Essex SS156TP, England (Findji).
authors.forename: Ben S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: North Coast Veterinary Specialists, 431 Tanawha Tourist Drive, Tanawha, Queensland 4556, Australia (Clarke); University of Queensland, School of Veterinary Science, Gatton, Queensland, Australia (Banks); VRCC Veterinary Referrals, 1 Bramston Way, Laindon, Essex SS156TP, England (Findji).
authors.forename: Tania A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Banks
authors.affiliation: North Coast Veterinary Specialists, 431 Tanawha Tourist Drive, Tanawha, Queensland 4556, Australia (Clarke); University of Queensland, School of Veterinary Science, Gatton, Queensland, Australia (Banks); VRCC Veterinary Referrals, 1 Bramston Way, Laindon, Essex SS156TP, England (Findji).
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Findji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*