Association between divisional location and short-term outcome of liver mass resection in 124 dogs.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between divisional location of liver masses on short-term outcomes after surgical excision. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: Client-owned dogs (n =&#x2009;124). METHODS: Records were reviewed for demographics, surgical findings, and outcomes. The associations between mass location and mortality, intraoperative complications, and postoperative complications were tested with multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: Liver masses (124) were more common in the left (72) division than the central (34) and right (18) divisions. Median follow up was 286 (range: 14 to 2043) days. Intraoperative complications occurred in 14/124 dogs (11.3%) and postoperative complications in 35/122 dogs (28.7%). No association was detected between mass location and mortality in 8/124 dogs (6.5%). Postoperative complications were more likely if the incision extended to the thorax (P&#x2009;<&#x2009;.001), which was more common during resection of right divisional masses (P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.020). Postoperative complications were less likely when surgery was performed with a thoracoabdominal (TA) stapler (P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.005), by a specialist surgeon (P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.033), and in heavier dogs (P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.027). The odds of intraoperative complications were 19 times higher when surgery was performed without a TA stapler (P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.006). Intraoperative complications were less commonly associated with left (P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.007), but not central (P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.0504) divisional masses than right divisional masses. CONCLUSION: Right divisional masses were prone to intraoperative but not postoperative complications. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Clinicians should anticipate an increased risk of intraoperative complications when planning treatment of right divisional masses.