Anaesthetic management and complications during hypophysectomy in 37 cats with acromegaly

The aim of this study was to describe the anaesthetic management and perianaesthetic complications encountered during hypophysectomy surgery in acromegalic cats. We explored relationships between animal demographic data, the anaesthetic protocol used and presence of perioperative complications.

Cats having undergone hypophysectomy surgery for the treatment of feline acromegaly at a single veterinary referral hospital were identified from hospital records. The anaesthesia records and clinical notes of these animals were retrospectively reviewed. Descriptive statistics were produced and binary logistic regression run to assess for any relationship between patient factors, anaesthetic management and complications during the perioperative period.

Perianaesthetic complications identified included hypothermia, hypotension, bradycardia and airway obstruction. Mortality at 24 h post-anaesthesia was 8%. The use of alpha (α)₂ agonists was associated with a lower incidence of hypotension. Fentanyl infusion was associated with a higher incidence of airway obstruction compared with remifentanil. Subjectively assessed anaesthetic recovery quality had an association with the number of days spent in the intensive care ward postoperatively.

The anaesthetic management described seems effective for hypophysectomy surgery in cats. Intraoperative complications were common and, while not apparently associated with 24 h patient outcome, drugs and equipment to manage these complications should be available.