A comparison of laparoscopic and belt-loop gastropexy in dogs

A simplified technique for laparoscopic gastropexy (group 1) was compared to belt-loop gastropexy (group 2) in eight adult male dogs randomly divided into two groups of four dogs each. Our hypothesis was that a satisfactory laparoscopic gastropexy would approximate the strength and operative time required for belt-loop gastropexy. Operative time, surgical complications, postoperative morbidity, gross and histological appearance, radiographic microvascularization, and maximal tensile strength were measured and compared between the two groups. All dogs recovered from surgery. No morbidity was associated with either procedure. The mean (+/- SD) duration of surgery was 69.75 +/- 7.23 minutes for group 1 and 58.75 +/- 7.63 minutes for group 2. Fifty days after surgery, the microvascular appearance of the gastropexy site was similar for both groups. Blood vessels were observed within each seromuscular flap but vascular ingrowth to the abdominal musculature was observed in only two dogs, one from each group. The maximum tensile strength at 50 days was 76.55 +/- 22.78 for group 1 and 109.21 +/- 22.29 N for group 2. Differences between surgical duration and maximum tensile strength were not statistically significant (P > .05). Histologically, all gastropexies consisted of an adhesion composed of dense fibrous connective tissue. The results of this study indicate that laparoscopic gastropexy provides a minimally invasive alternative to open abdominal prophylactic gastropexy in dogs.