Complications and outcomes of thoracoscopic-assisted lung lobectomy in dogs

To describe complications and outcomes of dogs undergoing thoracoscopic-assisted (TA) lung lobectomy.

Multi-institutional, retrospective study.

Client-owned dogs (n = 30).

Medical records of dogs that underwent TA lung lobectomy were reviewed. Signalment, bodyweight, clinical signs, imaging findings, surgical variables, complications, and short-term/long-term outcome were assessed. Thoracoscopic-assisted lung lobectomy was performed with a mini-thoracotomy.

Twelve intraoperative complications were recorded in 11 dogs, 6 requiring conversion to open thoracotomy. Reasons for conversion were reported in 5/6 dogs and included adhesions (2), difficultly manipulating the lesion through the mini-thoracotomy (2), and acute oxygen desaturation (1). One lung ventilation was successful in 4 of the 7 dogs in which this was attempted. A linear stapling device (DST series Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota) was used for lung lobe ligation in 14 dogs. Twenty-three dogs underwent surgery for a neoplastic lesion, with 19 of these being carcinoma. The median lesion size was 4.3 cm (range 1-10 cm); margins were clean, except in 1 dog. Complications were documented in 8 dogs prior to discharge, 5 of these being classified as mild. Twenty-nine dogs were discharged at a median of 47 h postoperatively (range 24-120 h). Death was reported in 9 dogs, with a median survival time of 168 days (range 70-868 days).

Thoracoscopic-assisted lung lobectomy was achieved with few major complications in the population reported here. Dogs were able to be discharged from hospital quickly, with most surviving beyond the follow-up period.

Thoracoscopic-assisted lung lobectomy may be considered to facilitate the excision of larger pulmonary lesions or to treat smaller dogs, in which a thoracoscopic excision may be technically more challenging.