Facial reconstructive surgery after tumour removal in a guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)

Abstract

A 2-year-old male guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) presented with a pea-sized swelling on his right labium. The tumour was excised and reconstructive surgery was performed using a single pedicle advancement flap, leaving the bottom of the lip intact on account of it being essential for food apprehension and manipulation. Two parallel skin incisions were made in the rostrocaudal direction for almost half the length of the head and the resulting skin flap was carefully undermined, to avoid damaging the follicles and the muscles of the whiskers. The flap was carefully sutured over the excisional defect and at 1.5 months post-surgery, only a small residual scar remains. The lips are intact, the surgical site is covered with fur and many of the whiskers have regrown. Histopathology showed the excised mass to be a grade 1 soft tissue sarcoma, most likely a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour.