Subcutaneous vascular access port implantation in the axillary or femoral/external iliac vein at the time of full limb amputation in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To report outcomes and complications after placement of a subcutaneous vascular access port (SVAP) in the jugular (jSVAP), axillary (aSVAP), and femoral or external iliac vein (fSVAP) in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective. METHODS: Medical records from a single hospital, covering a period between September 2015 and October 2020, were reviewed to identify dogs that had an SVAP placed. Complications and outcomes for dogs who had an SVAP placed in the axillary vein, or femoral/external iliac vein during amputation for appendicular skeletal neoplasm, and in the external jugular vein were recorded and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Subcutaneous vascular access ports were placed in the axillary vein in 13 dogs, femoral/external veins in 4 dogs, and in the jugular vein in 19 dogs. The SVAPs fulfilled their purpose throughout treatment in 12/13 aSVAP, 4/4 fSVAP, and 15/19 jSVAP. Dogs were followed for a median of 145.5 days (range 30-945 days). Minor and major complications were recorded in 1/13 and 2/13 aSVAPs, 0/4 and 0/4 fSVAPs, and 3/19 and 4/19 of jSVAPs. Two dogs with jSVAPs were euthanized due to SVAP-related complications. No difference in complication rate was detected between groups (P = .12). CONCLUSION: No difference in short-term outcome was detected between implantation sites for subcutaneous vascular access ports. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The axillary or femoral/external iliac veins offer alternative sites for placement of SVAP in dogs undergoing limb amputation.

Ex vivo evaluation of a novel cell salvage device to recover canine erythrocytes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the ability of a cell salvage device to recover canine erythrocytes by direct aspiration of diluted packed red blood cells (pRBC) and saline rinse from blood-soaked surgical swabs. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. SAMPLE POPULATION: Twelve recently expired units of canine pRBC. METHODS: pRBC units donated from a pet blood bank (after quality analysis) were diluted with anticoagulant, divided into two equal aliquots, and subsequently harvested by direct suction (Su), or soaked into swabs, saline-rinsed and suctioned (Sw). The volume of product, manual packed cell volume (PCV), and red blood cell mass (rbcM) were measured and compared before and after salvaging. The rbcM recovery was recorded as percentage ([rbcM post salvage]/[rbcM presalvage]x100). Statistical analysis of all measured values was performed (significance p < .05). RESULTS: No difference was detected between pre- and post-salvage PCV or mean rise of PCV for either group. The volume of salvaged blood was 143 ml (SD ± 2.89 ml; Su) and 139.83 ml (SD ± 3.30 ml; Sw), p < .001. The average rbcM recovered was 88.43% (Su) and 84.74%. (Sw) averaged 84.74% (p = .015). Blood type and order of processing did not influence recovery. CONCLUSION: The tested cell saver device reliably salvages canine blood in this ex vivo setting. Cell salvage via direct suction produces higher volumes of salvaged blood than rinsing blood-soaked swabs and salvaging the flush. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Washing blood-saturated surgical swabs results in a high harvest of red blood cells. The authors recommend it as an adjunct to direct suction to maximize erythrocyte recovery.

Intraoperative cell salvaging: ex vivo evaluation of two swab-washing methods.

OBJECTIVE: To compare erythrocyte recovery by a cell salvage device between swab-washing by manual agitation or filtration. SAMPLE: 12 recently expired units of canine packed RBCs. PROCEDURE: The packed RBC units underwent quality analysis before donation from a pet blood bank. Each unit was volume-expanded with anticoagulant and subsequently divided into 2 equal aliquots used to soak surgical swabs before washing. Two different swab-washing techniques were evaluated-standard swab-washing-manual agitation (SW-MA) and swab-washing-filtration (SW-F)-with a novel prototype device. The resulting bloody fluid was processed using the Cell Saver Elite Autotransfusion System (Haemonetics). The volume, manual PCV, CBC, and RBC mass, calculated as the product of the volume and PCV, were measured before and after salvaging. Last, the RBC mass recovery was recorded as a percentage. RESULTS: The RBC mass recovered from SW-MA and SW-F averaged 85.73% and 83.99%, respectively. There was no significant difference in RBC recovery between the 2 methods (P = .52). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: SW-MA and SW-F recovered a similar quantity of RBCs from blood-soaked swabs in an ex vivo setting.