Minimally Invasive Surgery Techniques in Exotic Animals

The term minimally invasive surgery refers to procedures performed using endoscopic guidance to enter a part of the body (e.g., laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, arthroscopy, rhinoscopy, gastroscopy). Endoscope-assisted procedures generally use a rigid endoscope to improve visualization and/or access or permit completion of the procedure extracorporeally to access internal body structures through small openings compared with traditional “open” incision techniques. Endoscope-assisted procedures currently performed in exotics include, but are not limited to, exploratory laparoscopy/coelioscopy/thoracoscopy, procurement of thoracic and abdominal organ biopsies, intestinal foreign body removal, cystotomy, and reproductive sterilization.     

Coelioscopic-assisted prefemoral ovariosalpingectomy in a d`Orbigny slider (Trachemys dorbigni) using a digital otoscope

The purpose of this study was to assess the unilateral prefemoral coelioscopic-assisted approach for ovariosalpingectomy in a d`Orbigny slider (Trachemys dorbigni) using a digital otoscope. Twenty healthy turtles were randomly assigned to one of two groups, for right (GR; n=10) or left (GL; n=10) prefemoral access, for coelioscopic-assisted ovariosalpingectomy. Anesthesia and surgery times, body weight, and ovary/oviduct weight data were recorded. Anesthesia and surgery times did not differ significantly between the groups. Wound closure was the most time-consuming surgical step. Ovary and body weights significantly affected the exposure time of the ipsilateral and contralateral ovaries, respectively. Two intraoperative complications were reported. All the animals recovered uneventfully. The digital otoscope can be safely and effectively used for coelioscopic-assisted single-access, unilateral prefemoral ovariosalpingectomy in d`Orbigny slider.     

Coelioscopic Investigation in European Eels (Anguilla anguilla)

Coelioscopy is a surgical technique in which small incisions are made into the coelomic cavity through which specific instrumentation is inserted to evaluate the internal structures within. For this reason, coelioscopy must be considered a less-invasive surgical method than traditional abdominal surgery. This study was aimed at evaluating and adapting the general coelioscopic principles of the technique to teleosts (10 European eels [Anguilla anguilla]). All the examined fish were anaesthetized with tricaine methanesulfonate solution. The coelioscopic procedures were performed with a rigid, 30° offset, 1.9-mm diameter endoscope connected to a portable video system. The results confirm that coelioscopy represents an imaging technique with high sensitivity in evaluating the coelomic organs in European eels.