title: A Homemade Snare: An Alternative Method for Mechanical Removal of Dirofilaria immitis in Dogs.
abstract: Canine dirofilariosis is a life-threatening parasitic disease that is increasingly reported worldwide. Once diagnosed the main treatment goals are to improve the animal's clinical condition and to eliminate all life stages of the parasite with minimal posttreatment side effects. This can be achieved through mechanical, surgical, or chemotherapeutical approaches. Currently, manual extraction is the preferred method to remove adult heartworms due to its diminished invasiveness, reduced damage to the vascular endothelium, and shortened anaesthesia duration. However, it remains an expensive technique that can be highly traumatic. To address this issue, a nontraumatic homemade catheter-guided snare was developed for heartworm removal by adapting and folding a 0.014-inch coronary wire (BMW, Abbott Vascular). Transvenous heartworm extraction was performed on a dog severely infected with adult heartworms by inserting the modified snare into a 6-F Judkins right coronary guiding catheter BMW (Cordis) and advancing it into the right ventricle under fluoroscopic guidance. Fifteen adult specimens of Dirofilaria immitis were successfully extracted from the pulmonary artery and right ventricle without complications. To assure the death of both larvae and adults, postoperative treatment was successfully managed using ivermectin, doxycycline, and melarsomine, with no recurrence after surgery.
authors.affiliation: CIISA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, ULisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Margarida
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7374-2270
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Alho
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Hospital de Santa Marta, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, EPE, Rua de Santa Marta 50, 1169-024 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiarresga
authors.affiliation: CIISA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, ULisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landum
authors.affiliation: Small Animal Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, ULisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Small Animal Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, ULisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Óscar
authors.initials: Ó
authors.lastname: Gamboa
authors.affiliation: CIISA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, ULisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meireles
authors.affiliation: CIISA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, ULisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal; Small Animal Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, ULisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sales Luís
authors.affiliation: CIISA, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, ULisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Madeira de Carvalho