Thoracic surgery at the Agoravet veterinary clinic in Strasbourg

Operations on the thoracic cavity are major surgical procedures requiring specific equipment and expertise. They are indicated in cases of abnormalities in the lungs, heart or pleura, or in cases of fluid effusion (chylothorax, pyothorax, hemothorax, etc.), among others.

The main surgeries performed on our pets are :

Placement of thoracic drains :

Thoracic drains enable punctual or continuous aspiration of liquids or air abnormally present in the chest. The animals must be hospitalized and closely monitored. These drains are placed under anesthesia, and local anesthetics are instilled to limit the discomfort they cause.

Partial / total removal of a lung :

Animals can live well after removal of part or all of a lung. Partial or total lung lobectomies are performed for lung lesions resulting from trauma (bites, road accidents, hunting accidents, etc.), localized infection leading to pulmonary atelectasis, bullous emphysema or lung tumors. These are major operations requiring special equipment, staff and expertise. Ask your vet for advice on whether your pet's condition qualifies for lung surgery.

Cardiac surgery :

The main cardiac surgeries concern congenital malformations, pericardial effusions or cardiac tumors.

Pericardectomy:

Partial or total removal of the pericardium is necessary in cases of pericardial effusion or tumour. In most cases, it can be performed thoracoscopically, which significantly reduces the invasiveness of the procedure.

Treatment of congenital anomalies

Although minimally invasive alternatives are available thanks to interventional imaging, treatment of persistent ductus arteriosus can be surgical. A thoracotomy is performed to ligate the ductus arteriosus. When performed early, this surgery can lead to a complete cure.

Mediastinal surgery (thymus, lymph nodes):

The thymus is an organ located in the chest in front of the heart in young animals. It is supposed to resorb during growth, but can also develop into a tumor: thymoma or thymic lymphoma. In the first case, surgical removal is the preferred option when radiotherapy is not possible. In the latter case, medical treatment with chemotherapy is recommended.

To find out more about our surgical services, please click here.