In Cats and Dogs Does Laparoscopic Ovariectomy Offer Advantages Over Open Ovariectomy for Postoperative Recovery?

Cherry Phypers

doi:10.18849/ve.v2i2.59

Abstract

Clinical bottom line: Available research suggests ovariectomy by laparoscopy leads to a more positive recovery following surgery, due to reduced pain and smaller reductions in activity levels postoperatively when compared to open ovariectomy. In practices where laparoscopic equipment and expertise are available, offering laparoscopic ovariectomy for routine spays of cats and dogs may be advantageous to patients.

Highlights

- Pre and postoperative pain scores (1,2,3,4 hrs following extubation) using visual analogue scale (VAS), simple descriptive scale (SDS) and von Frey meter (VF) - assessors blinded to surgical group
Surgical complications - More frequent in laparoscopy using extracorporeal suture (L-ECS) group than L-Ligasure (p=0.049) and open groups (p=0.008) - No difference was seen between L-Ligasure and open groups
Limitations: Postoperative pain scores (VAS, SDS and VF) - Significantly greater VAS score in L-ECS vs. L-LigaSure, p=0.011 at time point 4 hours following extubation - No difference in VAS score seen at any other time point between the three groups - No differences seen in SDS or VF pain score between the three groups - Pain scores were determined by two observers - blinded to treatment - this could have resulted in variation between pain scoring between individuals when using the VAS and SDS methods - A standardised incision was made for all techniques to allow the blinding of pain scorers this could have strongly impacted on pain scores since invasiveness and tissue damage has been shown to be associated with postoperative pain

Summary

Summary of the evidence

Population: Sample size: Intervention details: Domestic, female cats from animal rescue centres N=24 Intervention groups. Study design: Outcome studied: Main findings: (relevant to PICO question): body weight and surgical time - Tukey-Kramer test used for post-hoc analysis - Complications compared by Pearson’s x2 contingency analysis - Repeated measures ANOVA to test differences in pain scoring - Wilcoxon method for nonparametric comparisons between pairs Blinded, randomised controlled trial. - Pre and postoperative pain scores (1,2,3,4 hrs following extubation) using visual analogue scale (VAS), simple descriptive scale (SDS) and von Frey meter (VF) - assessors blinded to surgical group. Surgical complications - More frequent in L-ECS group than L-Ligasure (p=0.049) and open groups (p=0.008) - No difference was seen between L-Ligasure and open groups

Limitations

Findings

Methodology Section