Page 155 - Clinical Manual of Small Animal Endosurgery

Operative Laparoscopy 143

Fig. 5.7 A 5% lidocaine patch can be adhered to the skin and used for
local analgesia around port sites.

Follow-up and aftercare

Postoperative recovery is managed very similar to open surgery. Postop-
erative analgesia is managed effectively with injectable opiod pain medi-
cation and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication.

Specific procedures

Ovariectomy, ovariohysterectomy
Surgical techniques for performing laparoscopic sterilisation of small
animals have evolved over the past 20 years. Early procedures involving
uterine horn occlusion were attempted as a tentative technique to prevent
conception but resulted in accumulation of fluid in the uterine horns
(Wildt and Lawler, 1985). In the early 1990s, when laparoscopy started
to expand in human surgery but equipment was limited, up to five ports
were placed to enable pre-tied surgical ligatures to be used effectively in
performing the procedure (Freeman et al., 1992). As clients began to
demand laparoscopy for its reduced postoperative pain and faster return
to normal activity for their pets, the field expanded. New equipment for
ligation of the ovarian pedicles became available (bipolar electrocoagula-
tion, ligating clips, laser, Harmonic Scalpel) and techniques were revised