Short-term outcomes of open liver lobectomy using an Endo GIA stapler: case series of five cats

Case series summaryIn this retrospective case series, open liver lobectomy using an Endo GIA stapler was evaluated in five client-owned cats. All procedures were performed via ventral midline celiotomy using the Endo GIA Ultra Universal Stapler with Curved Tip Articulating Vascular/Medium Tri-Staple cartridges. Three cats underwent total liver lobectomy of the left lateral lobe, and the remaining two underwent multiple lobectomies involving one or more divisions (left division, n = 1; left and central divisions, n = 1). In three cats, the lesions were adjacent to major hilar vascular and biliary structures. The median lobe resection and total surgical times were 21 and 51 mins, respectively. The median postoperative hospitalisation was 3 days. Intraoperative complications occurred in two cats (hypotension) and postoperative complications occurred in all cats, including mild anaemia (n = 5), ascites (n = 4), wound complication (n = 1) and transient hyperbilirubinemia (n = 1). Although one cat required an intraoperative transfusion for massive bleeding, none of the cats required revision surgery. All cats survived until discharge and were alive and asymptomatic at suture removal approximately 2 weeks postoperatively.Relevance and novel informationTo our knowledge, this is the first detailed report to evaluate the short-term outcomes of open liver lobectomy using the Endo GIA stapler in cats. Consistent with previous canine studies, no mortality or major complications occurred during the perioperative period, and the total surgical time was relatively short. These findings suggest that the Endo GIA stapler is a feasible option for open liver lobectomy in cats, particularly for lesions located in the left division, including selected lesions adjacent to the hilus. However, further studies are warranted to confirm its clinical relevance, define appropriate case-selection criteria based on lesion characteristics and compare it with conventional techniques.