Ultrasound-guided retrieval of plant awns

Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2008 Sep-Oct;49(5):484-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2008.00413.x.

Abstract

In dogs, surgical removal of plant awns causing a foreign body granuloma or abscess may be challenging. The inability to localize the foreign body during surgical removal often leads to abscess recurrence. In this report, we describe ultrasound-guided retrieval as an alternative to standard surgical retrieval in animals where the plant awn can be identified sonographically. This procedure was used in six dogs with a superficial abscess due to a plant awn, and in all dogs the foreign body was successfully retrieved with Hartmann forceps. No complication was observed and no abscess recurred. Minimally invasive ultrasound-guided plant awn retrieval appears to be a safe effective method of retrieving superficially located plant awns in the dog.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dog Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Dog Diseases / surgery*
  • Dogs
  • Female
  • Foreign-Body Migration / diagnostic imaging
  • Foreign-Body Migration / surgery
  • Foreign-Body Migration / veterinary*
  • Granuloma, Foreign-Body / diagnostic imaging
  • Granuloma, Foreign-Body / surgery
  • Granuloma, Foreign-Body / veterinary*
  • Male
  • Ultrasonography