LUNG LOBECTOMY - FROM DIAGNOSIS TO DISCHARGE

摘要

Many practitioners prefer to refer animals requiring thoracic surgery, yet knowledge of basic principles of thoracic surgery allows many procedures to be performed by competent surgeons in non-referral setttings. Animals with traumatic lesions that impair respiration (e.g., flail chest), or those with acute respiratory impairment (i.e., ruptured bullae, ruptured pulmonary abscess) often require emergency stabilization (e.g., stabilization of rib segments, thoracentesis, oxygen therapy) prior to surgery. With large neoplastic lesions, positioning the animal in sternal recumbency, or in lateral recumbency with the affected side down, and providing oxygen (i.e., nasal insufflation or oxygen cage) is often beneficial. Blood gas analysis or evaluation with pulse oximetry is warranted preoperatively in patients undergoing thoracic surgery to detect and define the severity of respiratory impairment. Unexplained abnormalities should be investigated because ventilatory impairment due to non-surgically correctable disease (i.e., diffuse micro-metastasis) will occasionally be identified. Anemia should be corrected prior to surgery, ifpossible.