Surgical closure of an atrial septal defect using cardiopulmonary bypass in a cat.

OBJECTIVE

To describe surgical repair of a large atrial septal defect (ASD) in a cat.

STUDY

DESIGN

Clinical report.

ANIMAL: A 3-year-old, 3.3 kg, intact male Japanese domestic short-haired cat.

METHODS

A 10.2-mm-diameter ASD detected by echocardiography was surgically corrected because pulmonary vascular resistance-to-systemic vascular resistance ratio (Qp /Qs ) was 3.2. Using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), open surgical repair was achieved with an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) graft. The priming volume of the CPB circuit was minimized by cutting the CPB tubing, and partially replacing the priming fluid with whole cat blood. To prevent hemodilution associated with use of cardioprotective agents, surgery was performed on the beating heart.

RESULTS

At 1-year echocardiographic evaluation, the repair was intact, and at 3 years, the cat was alive without need of medication.

CONCLUSIONS

Large ASD in a cat can be repaired using e-PTFE under CPB.