Amalia Agut

An entire, Pomeranian, female dog was presented to the emergency unit with anorexia, fever, abdominal pain, jaundice and an inguinal hernia. The patient had been bitten by a dog 2 weeks earlier and was on antibiotics and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug without improvement. Ultrasonographic exam showed peritoneal effusion and hepatic cystic lesions. Fluid analysis was compatible with bile. Bilomas and an inguinal hernia were diagnosed. Computed tomography scan did not reveal the origin of the bilomas. Ultrasound‐guided drainage of the bilomas resulted in a slight improvement. The patient worsened, and an exploratory laparotomy was recommended. The owner declined the surgery due to a guarded prognosis and the dog was humanely euthanased. On postmortem examination, a small laceration of the common bile duct was observed, which was probably the cause of the biliary peritonitis. To the authors’ knowledge, this report represents the first description of intrahepatic bilomas secondary to a bite injury.

The quadratus lumborum (QL) block is an ultrasound-guided locoregional anesthesia technique which aims to provide analgesia to the abdomen. The main objective of this study was to assess a modified ultrasound-guided dorsal QL block in cat cadavers. For this purpose, a volume of 0.4 mL kg−1 of a mixture of iopromide and methylene blue was administered between the psoas minor muscle and the vertebral body (VB) of the first lumbar vertebra, and its distribution was assessed in thirteen cat cadavers. We hypothesized that this injection point would be feasible, offering a more cranial distribution of the injectate and a more consistent staining of the truncus sympathicus. The study was divided into two phases. Phase 1 consisted of an anatomical study (three cadavers were dissected). Phase 2 consisted of the ultrasound-guided administration of the injectate and the assessment of its distribution by computed tomography and anatomical dissection. The results showed a consistent distribution of contrast media within five (4–8) VBs from T10 to L5. Methylene blue stained three (2–6) rami ventrales, affecting T11 (10%), T12 (20%), T13 (60%), L1 (85%), L2 (95%) and L3 (65%). The truncus sympathicus was dyed in all cadavers with a spread of five (3–7) VBs. Finally, the splanchnicus major nerve was stained in all cadavers (100%). These results suggest that this technique could provide analgesia to the abdominal viscera and the abdominal wall, probably with the exception of the cranial aspects of the abdominal wall.