Diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy in dogs and cats. Report of twenty-two cases and proposition of technique for correction of phrenocostal tears

Abstract

During an eight-year period, from January 1984 to December 1992, nineteen dogs and three cats with diaphragmatic hernia were submitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. The hernias were due to traumatic etiology. The common herniated contents were liver, stomach, small intestine, spleen and omentum. The liver was complicated with pleural effusion in a dog and the stomach timpanized in another one. Two dogs and one cat died during radiographic management. One bitch died during anesthetic induction and anoather one in post-operative period. Other patients were recuperate without complications. Hernias were corrected by intercostal approach. In nine animals with phrenocostal tears, the correction was made by diaphragmatic advancement and fixation in the caudal edge of intercostal muscles from the 8th intercostal space. This technique ensure efficient hemiorraphy without respiratory distress.