Single-port laparoscopic-assisted abdominal cryptorchidectomy in 14 dogs

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.

Prospective case series.

A total of 14 client-owned dogs (19 abdominal cryptorchid testes).

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 The abdominal testis was endoscopically located and grasped, the cannula was retracted, the capnoperitoneum was reversed to allow exteriorization of the testis, and the spermatic cord was ligated extracorporeally.

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.

The SP-LAC procedure enabled removal of abdominal testes and was associated with a low morbidity.

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.