Original Article

Latex-casting of vessels relevant during vaginectomy in bitches

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Abstract

Vaginectomy is an infrequently performed invasive surgery to control vaginal disorders in bitches. Indications for vaginectomy include vaginal tumors (leiomyoma, fibroleiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma), polyps and vaginal prolapse. The surgical technique is a two-step procedure and consists of an extended laparotomy approach with caudal ovariohysterectomy followed by an episiotomy approach with removal and reconstruction of the vaginal wall. Although the surgery itself is invasive, the combined approach results in a favorable outcome with an apparently low risk of intra- and postoperative complications. During vaginectomy, traction is placed on the vagina and its supplying blood vessels via the episiotomy site. By means of a post-mortem study of five dogs, it was investigated if this traction resulted in damage or rupture of the supplying vessels. In this study, it was demonstrated that the uterine branch of the vaginal artery and the caudal vesical artery rupture during the traction phase of a vaginectomy via the episiotomy site. Rupture of these vessels might result in insufficient perfusion of the bladder and extensive intraabdominal and -pelvic bleeding.