Proximal urethral reconstruction using a distally based ventral bladder tube flap. An experimental study

Ischial ostectomy in direct end-to-end anastomosis of the pelvic urethra in male dogs

Ischial ostectomy in conjunction with direct end-to-end anastomosis of the pelvic urethra was performed after prostatectomy in cadavers of 10 male dogs with normal bladder and urethra, and in a mongrel dog with an enlarged prostrate and transection injury of the pelvic urethra. In the cadavers, tension on the suture line was assessed from the intravesical pressure (IVP) and volume of normal saline solution (NSS) instilled into the bladder to cause dehiscence of the anastomosis before and after the ostectomy. The experiment found that the IVP and instilled NSS volume after the ischial ostectomy were significantly (p<0.01) higher than those before the ostectomy, suggesting the ostectomy can reduce tension on the suture line and risk of dehiscence. Clinically, the dog had uneventful recovery with normal urination. Fluoroscopic examination of the caudal abdomen at 3 and 16weeks after surgery revealed urethral continuity without perforation and narrowing of the anastomosis site.

Surgical management of congenital urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence in eight female cats and a bitch

Congenital urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence is a cause of urinary incontinence in female dogs and cats. In some of these animals, urethra hypoplasia is the primary diagnosis, with the urethra being almost absent in some patients. Treatment of this problem can be difficult. This paper describes two techniques for the surgical treatment of eight cats and one dog with severe urethral hypoplasia. In five animals, partial excision of the bladder neck was performed to create a longer "urethra." In the other four, an attempt was made to conserve bladder volume while simultaneously creating a urethra with a bladder neck flap reconstruction technique. One cat was lost to follow-up, but the clinical signs resolved in three cats and the remaining animals improved. Two cats had recurring cystitis, possibly associated with bladder neck diverticula because of uterine horn remnants terminating abnormally in the bladder. The results in this limited series suggest that reconstructive surgery in cases of severe urethral hypoplasia improves continence control.

Use of a retained urethral catheter in three dogs with prostatic neoplasia

Percutaneous nephrostomy catheters modified by cutting off the tubing connectors were implanted in three dogs with prostatic neoplasia to relieve or prevent stranguria. One catheter was implanted with a guide wire through a perineal urethrotomy, and two catheters were implanted via celiotomy and cystotomy. Morbidity and complications were minimal. Inflammation of the abdominal incision was present from day 4 to day 8 in the dogs with celiotomy. Urinary incontinence was continuous in one dog and intermittent in two dogs. Hematuria occurred in two dogs. The retained urethral catheter was a suitable palliative treatment for urethral obstruction in three dogs with prostatic neoplasia.