Vet Res Commun. 2026 Jun 3;50(5):361. doi: 10.1007/s11259-026-11297-y.
ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the safety and feasibility of gasless laparoscopic cholecystectomy in dogs, identifying factors associated with surgical time and survival. Twenty-five dogs with symptomatic gallbladder disease-predominantly gallbladder mucocele (72.0%) and cholelithiasis-underwent cholecystectomy using a mechanical abdominal wall lift system. Variables including gallbladder volume, age, body condition score, and intraoperative complications were recorded. Statistical analyses employed Pearson’s chi-squared, Spearman’s correlation, regression analysis for surgical time predictors, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with log-rank tests. No significant association was found between breed and biliary condition. However, surgical time was significantly and positively correlated with body weight and body condition score (p < 0.001). Linear regression indicated that each 1 kg increase in body weight added approximately 4 min to the procedure. Gallbladder volume did not correlate with surgical duration. Survival analysis revealed that dogs with gallbladder mucocele had a significantly lower probability of overall survival compared to cholelithiasis (p = 0.014). The results demonstrate that the gasless laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a viable and safe alternative for canine patients, especially those at a high cardiorespiratory risk. While increased body weight is a critical predictor of prolonged surgery, the primary biliary pathology remains the most significant determinant of survival.
PMID:42234328 | DOI:10.1007/s11259-026-11297-y
