Saving Bear - Life-saving liver lobectomies
Bear presented to Veterinary Specialist Services extremely unwell. He was septic, lethargic and had lost blood via a large liver mass. The liver mass was found to have free gas present on ultrasound which tells us there are gas-producing bacteria. These liver abscesses can be rapidly fatal and Bear required emergency surgery that same night.
The surgery I performed involved liver lobectomy of the right medial and quadrate lobes of the liver as well as cholecystectomy (removal of the gall bladder as the blood supply to this region was affected). This is a major surgery, however Bear recovered. He had intensive monitoring in the PetICU after his procedure, so saving Bear was very much a team effort.
Bear's histopathology results revealed the most likely cause to be a necrotic, infected adenoma (benign liver tumour), so Bear should be cured of this disease! We could not be happier!
Tomorrow, I will introduce another liver lobectomy case from the last 2 weeks, as well as my tips for liver lobectomies. Although liver lobectomies are a procedure that carries a significant degree of risk (life-threatening bleeding, thromboembolism, hypotension under anaesthesia, arrhythmia, death), a significant proportion of patients survive and have long median survival times, making surgery worth-while. Liver tumors tend to be very responsive to surgery.
We are so happy for the beautiful Bear and wish him a long, happy life.
Bear also has his own instagram!
@nanook_and_bear
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