Objective: To compare outcomes of dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) treated with open right-sided barbed suture gastropexies (BSG) and standard right-sided incisional gastropexies (SIG).
Study design: Retrospective cohort study.
Animals: Client-owned dogs treated for GDV with BSG (n = 58) and SIG (n = 63).
Methods: Medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Suture type and size, surgery time, perioperative complications, and survival to discharge were recorded and compared between groups. Follow up was conducted by medical record evaluation, e-mail, or phone contact. Postoperative surgical complications, recurrence of gastrointestinal signs, gastric dilatation with or without volvulus, and survival time were recorded and compared. Categorical (χ2 versus Fisher's exact test) and parametric versus nonparametric (paired t-test versus Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test; one-way ANOVA versus Kruskal-Wallis) methods of comparison were applied as appropriate.
Results: Perioperative mortality rate was 5.79% (7/121) with no difference between SIG (5/63) and BSG (2/58) (p = .28). Barbed suture gastropexies resulted in shorter surgical times when compared to SIG when performed as the sole procedure (53.3 versus 62.6 min, p = .03). Perioperative and postoperative surgical complications (p = .12), recurrence of GDV (p = .22), or gastric dilatation without volvulus (p = .5) did not differ between groups. Postoperative gastrointestinal signs were reported in 23% of dogs with no difference between groups (p = .33).
Conclusion: Barbed suture gastropexy is a viable option for surgical management of GDV. Persistent gastrointestinal signs remain possible regardless of gastropexy technique.
Clinical significance: Barbed suture gastropexy can result in shorter surgical times with similar recurrence rates to previously reported gastropexy techniques.
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