Learning curve of laparoscopic ovariectomy in cats - a case series

Abstract

Minimally invasive surgery is constantly improving and breaking grounds due to its benefits such as, fast recovery and less pain. But these procedures need a lot of effort from the surgeon, more than an opened technique, since the focus becomes a monitor and not a directly visible organ. In cats two procedures can be performed for spaying, ovariectomy and ovariohisterectomy. The first one can be performed using a two port laparoscopy technique. This study describes the surgical approach for a laparoscopic two port ovariectomy and emphasizes on the time needed for the procedure, taking into study 8 young healthy short hair cats and a veterinary surgeon with limited experience in laparoscopy, but with some little experience in using the laparoscopic instrumentation. None of the surgeries needed conversion. In one case we observed a wound dehiscence, that healed by secondary healing. The surgeon’s time of surgery improved as the number of cases increased.