PERICARDIECTOMY IN DOGS - 22 CASES (1978-1994)

Objective - To determine long-term outcome of dogs with neoplastic and nonneoplastic pericardial disease that undergo pericardiectomy. Desig n - Retrospective study. Animals - 22 dogs. Procedure - Dogs that unde rwent pericardiectomy and in which the diagnosis had been confirmed hi stologically were included. Data collected from each record included s ignalment, history, clinical signs, results of diagnostic evaluations, operative management, postoperative complications, histologic diagnos is, and outcome. Dogs were grouped on the basis of underlying cause of pericardial disease (neoplastic vs nonneoplastic), and survival times were determined by means of Kaplan-Meier analyses. Results - 9 dogs h ad neoplastic pericardial disease (chemodectoma. 4; hemangiosarcoma. 2 ; malignant mesothelioma. 2; lymphoblastic lymphoma, 1). Thirteen dogs had nonneoplastic pericardial disease (benign idiopathic pericarditis , 10; lymphocytic-plasmacytic pericarditis, 2; osseous metaplasia of u nknown cause, 1). Thoracic radiography and echocardiography were the m ost specific methods for diagnosis of pericardial effusion. Pleural ef fusion was the most common postoperative complication (8/22 dogs). Pre valence of postoperative complications was not associated with underly ing cause of pericardial disease, surgical approach, or surgical proce dure (subtotal vs total pericardiectomy). Median survival time of dogs with neoplastic disease (52 days) was significantly shorter than medi an survival time of dogs with nonneoplastic disease (792 days). Dogs t hat developed pleural effusion > 30 days after pericardiectomy had a p oor prognosis for survival. Clinical Implications - Radiography and ec hocardiography are useful for diagnosis of pericardial effusion in dog s. Dogs with neoplastic pericardial disease have a significantly short er survival time than do dogs with nonneoplastic pericardial disease.