34th Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Objectives:

This study aimed to evaluate the surgical outcomes, complications, and prognostic factors in three dogs with oncological diseases undergoing subcutaneous ureteral bypass (SUB) implantation.

Methods:

The study population consisted of dogs with malignant ureteral obstructions treated by SUB implantation. All patients underwent the same protocol, which included clinical and laboratory assessments (including blood chemistry and blood type evaluations), computed tomography (CT) scans, and X-ray monitoring.

Results:

The observed causes of obstruction were abdominal sarcoma surrounding the ureter (n = 1), compression from metastatic lymph nodes in the context of prostatic carcinoma (n = 1), and failure of ureteral reimplantation after prostatectomy performed for infiltrating prostatic carcinoma in the trigone region (n = 1). All patients were treated with the SUB device; the nephrostomy catheter was placed unilaterally in two dogs and bilaterally in one patient. The initially elevated preoperative levels of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (median creatinine level, 4.7 mg/dL; median blood urea nitrogen level, 80 mg/dL) showed improvements in the follow-up assessments. Major complications included catheter dislodgement from the renal pelvis with the uroabdomen, while minor complications included incontinence and urinary tract infections (n = 2). In cases involving malignant obstruction, the presence of metastases was identified as a negative prognostic factor. The intraoperative mortality rate was 0%, while the postoperative (120 days following operation) mortality rate was 66%.

Conclusions:

The application of SUB for both curative and palliative purposes represents a valid therapeutic option. It can also serve as a life-saving treatment in patients already subjected to total cystectomy. Patient selection and clear communication with the owner are crucial to achieve appropriate surgical outcomes.