Cholecystectomy in a heifer

• Published in: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science Vol. 79; no. 3; pp. 509 - 512
• Main Authors: TSUKA, Takeshi, TANAKA, Hinako, KONO, Shinji, MORITA, Takehito, MURAHATA, Yusuke, AZUMA, Kazuo, OSAKI, Tomohiro, ITO, Norihiko, OKAMOTO, Yoshiharu, IMAGAWA, Tomohiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 2017; Japan Science and Technology Agency; The Japanese Society of Veterinary Science
• Subjects: Animals; Appetite loss; Bile; bile duct; Bile ducts; Bilirubin; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - surgery; Cholecystectomy; Cholecystectomy - veterinary; Female; Gallbladder; Gallbladder Diseases - surgery; Gallbladder Diseases - veterinary; heifer; Medical instruments; Serum levels; Surgery
• ISSN: 0916-7250; 1347-7439
• DOI: 10.1292/jvms.16-0656

A 10-month-old female Japanese black heifer presenting with sudden loss of appetite was diagnosed with extreme extension of the gallbladder. Laparotomy reaching from the right part of the 10th rib to the right flank showed an extended gallbladder greater than 50 cm in diameter. Cholecystectomy was performed as follows: 1) complete removal of the gallbladder distally from the base; 2) flushing via a catheter inserted into the common bile duct; and 3) covering of the hole opened in the common bile duct with a double-suturing method using the mucous membrane and muscular layers of the remaining gallbladder structures. Serum levels of total bilirubin gradually decreased from 7.5 mg/dl preoperatively to 4.7 mg/dl, 1.6 mg/dl and 0.6 mg/dl at 3, 8 and 34 days postoperatively, respectively. The heifer showed 1 month of clinical improvements, grew normally and finally became pregnant. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first clinical report to describe cholecystectomy in cattle.