Single-port laparoscopic-assisted abdominal cryptorchidectomy in 14 dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a modified laparoscopic-assisted cryptorchidectomy technique in dogs using a single-port endoscope and evaluate clinical outcome in abdominal cryptorchid dogs that underwent the procedure. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective case series. ANIMALS: A total of 14 client-owned dogs (19 abdominal cryptorchid testes). METHODS: Dogs scheduled for laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy between January 2019 and April 2022 were enrolled in the study. The dogs underwent single-port laparoscopic-assisted cryptorchidectomy (SP-LAC) performed by a single surgeon using a 10-mm single-port endoscope placed in the midline immediately cranial to the prepuce. The abdominal testis was endoscopically located and grasped, the cannula was retracted, the capnoperitoneum was reversed to allow exteriorization of the testis, and the spermatic cord was ligated extracorporeally. RESULTS: Median age was 13 months (range, 7-29 months) and median bodyweight was 23.0 kg (range, 2.2-55.0 kg). Nine of 14 dogs had unilateral abdominal cryptorchidism (7 right-sided and 2 left-sided) and 5/14 dogs had bilateral abdominal cryptorchidism. Median surgical time for unilateral abdominal cryptorchidectomy was 17 min (range, 14-21 min) and for bilateral abdominal cryptorchidectomy 27 min (range, 23-55 min). Ten dogs had additional surgical procedures performed concurrently with SP-LAC. One major intraoperative complication (testicular artery hemorrhage) occurred that required emergency conversion and two minor entry-related complications were observed. CONCLUSION: The SP-LAC procedure enabled removal of abdominal testes and was associated with a low morbidity. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The SP-LAC procedure can be performed by a single surgeon and represents a less invasive alternative to multi-port laparoscopic-assisted or single-port multi-access laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy techniques.

Comparison of urethral length and orifice diameter in cats undergoing transpelvic or subpubic urethrostomy for perineal urethrostomy revision (cadaveric study).

OBJECTIVES: Stenosis is a postoperative complication reported in 12-17% of male cats that undergo perineal urethrostomy (PU). This study compared two different revision techniques for failed perineal urethrostomies. The first objective was to evaluate the feasibility of performing a transpelvic urethrostomy (TPU) after a previous, correctly performed PU in male cats. The second objective was to determine the residual urethral length, orifice diameter, and the position of the orifice relative to the pubic brim and anus after PU, TPU and subpubic urethrostomy (SPU). METHODS: Twenty male cat cadavers were randomly divided into two groups: TPU and SPU. In group TPU, PU was followed by TPU; in group SPU, PU was followed by SPU. After each procedure, the urethral orifice cross-section size was estimated by inserting the largest possible urinary catheter without resistance. Residual urethral length was measured both on contrast radiographs and after anatomical dissection. RESULTS: In all cats, TPU could be performed following a technically correct PU. The TPU resulted in a 1.5-times longer residual urethral length than SPU, based on contrast radiographs (P = 0.001) and confirmed by anatomical dissection (P <0.001). Relative to the initial urethral length, PU, TPU and SPU resulted in a reduction of 24%, 36% and 56%, respectively. The urethral orifice diameter after TPU did not differ from SPU (P = 1.000), and it was not statistically significantly different between TPU and PU (P = 0.317) or between SPU and PU (P = 0.655). The urethral orifice was located further away from the pubis (P <0.001) and closer to the anus (P <0.001) after TPU than after SPU. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Both TPU and SPU are possible revision surgeries following PU. As TPU preserves a significantly longer urethral length and requires less tissue dissection, the risk of urinary tract infections, urinary dermatitis and urinary incontinence might be less following TPU than SPU.