Page 1 - Clinical Connections - Summer 2022

CLINICAL CONNECTIONS

RVC Clinical Services Newsletter Summer 2022

RARE VASCULAR MALFORMATION OF THE

CAUDAL VENA CAVA

one-year-old Rottweiler was treated surgical exploration of her caudal right Critical Care Service early last May with
for an acquired traumatic kink in hemithorax and excision of scar tissue ascites and suspected right-sided cardiac
A her caudal vena cava that was surrounding the intrathoracic caudal vena failure. On presentation she was bright and
responsible for post-sinusoidal venous cava. In addition, a patch of pericardium was alert and was found to be cardiovascularly
hypertension. The trauma was most likely sutured into the caudal vena cava across stable. Ultrasound confirmed the presence
caused by an altercation with a deer. the area of greatest narrowing to increase of fluid in her abdomen. Chest radiographs
Lorna had a massive volume of fluid the caudal caval diameter. revealed rib fractures but no other
in her abdomen because of the caudal The surgery was performed by Dan abnormalities.
caval obstruction and this was refractory Brockman, Professor of Small Animal An echocardiogram revealed an
to medical treatment. Without some kind Surgery and Director of the Cardiothoracic abnormal structure at the base of her heart.
of intervention to manage the stricture, she Surgery Service, supported in surgery Because of the unusual nature of this
had no future. by Carlos Alonso, our third-year surgery finding, multidisciplinary case conference
Having been initially seen by the RVC’s resident, and Nuria Quesada Vicent, our with cardiology and surgery colleagues was
Emergency and Critical Care Service and third-year anaesthesia resident. held and the conclusion was that the lesion
the Cardiology Service, Lorna underwent Lorna was referred to the Emergency and was either a rare congenital or acquired

P. 5 P. 6 P.7 P.10
A DECADE OF EQUINE MELANOMA CORNEAL CROSS- BEING A PATHOLOGY
HYPOPHYSECTOMY TREATMENT LINKING PROGRESS RESIDENT