ULTRASOUND-GUIDED PERCUTANEOUS LIVER BIOPSY IN SNAKES |
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| Authors: | Ramiro Isaza DVM MS Norman Ackerman DVM Juergen Schumacher DVM |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida. Gainesville, Florida 32610 (Isaza, Ackerman), and the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida. Gainesville, Florida 32610 (Schumacher). |
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| Abstract: | Percutaneous ultrasound-guided liver biopsies were conducted in 15 snakes using 18-gauge automatic biopsy devices. The liver samples collected ranged in size from 1.16 ± 0.40 mm to 8.3 ± 0.55 mm. Upon histologic examination, all biopsy samples were of diagnostic quality. Anesthesia with complete immobilization of the snake was necessary to allow proper selection of the target site and limit complications associated with biopsy collection. Percutaneous ultrasound-guided liver biopsy is a rapid, minimally invasive method for collecting liver tissue in snakes. |
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| Keywords: | ultrasound biopsy liver snake |
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