2007-08: Project Three
Is laparoscopy an option for obtaining pancreatic biopsies in cats?
Drs. Anthony Carr, Kevin Cosford, Susan Taylor, Cindy Shmon and Sherry Meyers (WCVM).
A pancreatic biopsy is the most reliable test for diagnosing pancreatitis in cats, but its invasive nature and veterinarians’ concerns about potential complications have limited its use. As an alternative, a WCVM research team will evaluate the use of laparoscopy to obtain pancreatic biopsies for analysis — a minimally invasive approach that has been deemed safe and effective in dogs.
During this year-long study, members of the research team will use laparoscopy to examine the cranial abdomens of 12 cats. During the procedures, surgeons will obtain pancreatic biopsies from six of the cats while the rest of the animals will only undergo laparoscopic examinations. Four weeks later, surgeons will conduct ovariohysterectomies (female spaying procedure) on all of the cats. During the procedure, the specialists will inspect the cats’ pancreas and take additional tissue samples at the sites of the previous biopsies.
After completing the procedures, team members will evaluate the quality of the pancreatic biopsies obtained through laparoscopy as well as the safety of using this approach. Based on the team’s findings, using laparoscopy to obtain pancreatic biopsies may eventually become an accepted approach in diagnosing pancreatic disease in sick cats.
