For Referring Veterinarians

Traditionally, central nervous system masses have been debulked manually which can lead to iatrogenic trauma, prolonged anesthesia, a larger residual mass burden, and many other unwanted effects.  Ultrasonic aspiration helps to solve for these issues and has been used for years in state-of-the-art human neurosurgery. The Columbus Neurosurgery Department now routinely uses a cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA).  The CUSA simultaneously fragments pathologic tissue while providing suction and irrigation.  It distinguishes pathologic tissue from normal…

At times, it is essential to confirm the location of the large intestine on radiographs when determining if an intestinal lesion warrants surgical intervention.  Negative contrast colonography, aka pneumocolon, is indicated to determine whether a foreign body or obstructive pattern is small intestinal in origin or to investigate large intestinal lesions such as intussusceptions and intraluminal masses.  All you need is a large syringe, air and a long catheter (red rubber or Foley will do).

Intestinal intussusception occurs when the bowel telescopes within an adjacent bowel segment due to discrepancies in localized bowel motility and is categorized by the location of origin.  A portion of the mesentery and its vascular supply is oftentimes incorporated into the intussusception.  Intussusception can be detected on palpation as a tubular soft tissue mass.  Underlying bowel disease precipitates this lesion in many cases including viral enteritis and intestinal parasitism/infections in young dogs and neoplasia in…