Feasibility Study of Single-Port Laparoscopic Techniques for Pancreatic Exploration, Ultrasound, and Biopsy in Dogs

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of single-port laparoscopic pancreatic exploration, laparoscopic ultrasonography, and pancreatic biopsy in dogs. Six clinically healthy Beagles (median age: 13 months; range: 12-30 months; median weight: 8.81 kg; range: 7.82-10.64 kg) with normal findings upon physical examination and no history of systemic disease underwent a single-port laparoscopic procedure via a paramedian incision. In all cases, pancreatic exploration was performed visually through laparoscopy but was limited to the right lobe and body of the pancreas due to anatomical constraints; the left lobe remained inaccessible. The median exploration time was 239 s for the right lobe and 370 s for the pancreatic body. After exploration, a laparoscopic ultrasound was performed on the parenchyma of the explored regions, successfully identifying major anatomical structures, including the cranial pancreaticoduodenal artery, vein, and major duodenal papilla. The median laparoscopic ultrasound evaluation time was 838 s (range: 729-878 s). A pancreatic biopsy was performed on the distal portion of the right lobe, yielding tissue samples of approximately 10 × 10 mm in size. No intra- or postoperative complications were observed. However, this study was conducted in healthy dogs; further validation is necessary to confirm its diagnostic utility. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of single-port laparoscopic exploration and laparoscopic ultrasonography-guided anatomical assessment.