Staged Closure Of A Congenital Porto-Internal Thoracic Shunt In A Cat

A congenital extrahepatic porto-internal thoracic shunt was attenuated with cellophane banding in a cat with multiple embryogenetic anomalies. Changes in the postoperative shunt diameter were monitored using ultrasound and CT angiography. the patient improved clinically after cellophane banding, showing resolution of hepatic encephalopathy, weight gain and normalisation of serum ammonia and bile acid levels. the shunt vessel stopped narrowing at four postoperative weeks, and a complete closure was surgically achieved after 9 months. the patient stopped vomiting immediately after the second surgery. additional histopathological results suggested lymphoplasmacytic enteritis, which was treated medically. the reason why complete closure with the cellophane banding was not attained remains unclear. However, it can be hypothesised that the material did not function as normal cellophanes or that placement of the cellophane within the falciform ligament did not result in the usual inflammatory reaction or closure of the vessel.