Abstract

Background:
Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a minimally invasive technique that is increasingly used in dogs with adrenal tumors. However, pneumoperitoneum and prolonged anesthesia may be associated with physiological alterations requiring careful anesthetic management.

Aim:
This study aimed to describe anesthetic management and evaluate associations between anesthetic and surgical variables, intraoperative complications, and short-term clinical outcomes in dogs undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

Methods:
The medical records of 22 dogs undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy were retrospectively reviewed. We collected data regarding anesthetic protocols, pneumoperitoneum characteristics, surgical and anesthetic duration, intraoperative complications, and hospital discharge. Associations between perioperative variables were evaluated using statistical analysis, and results were interpreted as exploratory due to the retrospective design.

Results:
The mean surgical and anesthetic times were 116 ± 44.7 and 154.5 ± 46.4 minutes, respectively. The most frequent intraoperative complications were hypothermia (59.1%) and hypercapnia (40.9%). Longer anesthetic duration was associated with a higher incidence of these complications. A higher frequency of hypercapnia and hypothermia was observed in dogs undergoing pneumoperitoneum at 8 mm Hg than at 6 mmHg, although without statistical significance. The hospital discharge rate was 95.5%, and the median hospital stay was 26 h.

Conclusion:
Laparoscopic adrenalectomy was associated with favorable short-term outcomes in this population when performed with appropriate anesthetic management and monitoring. Hypothermia and hypercapnia were the most frequent intraoperative complications observed and were associated with longer duration of anesthesia. During laparoscopic adrenalectomy, careful ventilator management and active thermal support should be considered.

Key words: Adrenalectomy; Anesthesia; Dogs; Pneumoperitoneum; Intraoperative complications.