Feasibility and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration of the pancreas in dogs.

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has proven a useful and safe diagnostic tool for assessing pancreatic disease in human medicine. No information about pancreatic EUS-FNA is available in dogs.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the feasibility and safety of pancreatic EUS-FNA in healthy dogs.

ANIMALS

Thirteen beagles with a median body weight of 13.4 kg.

METHODS

Experimental study. An ultrasound endoscope (insertion tube outer diameter 11.8 mm) was used, and FNA was carried out with 19 G needles. The optimal puncture site was chosen with the aid of Doppler imaging. Complete clinicopathologic assessments including pain scoring and pancreas-specific lipase measurements were obtained before EUS as well as on day 1 and day 2 after EUS-FNA.

RESULTS

The pancreatic body was identified in all dogs, the left lobe was clearly identified in 9/13 and appeared indistinctly marginated in 4/13 dogs, and the distal third of the right lobe could not be identified in 7/13 dogs. EUS-FNA was carried out in 12/13 dogs. Cellularity of smears was adequate for evaluation in 8/12 cases, in which samples were obtained transgastrically (n = 4) or transduodenally (n = 4). All dogs recovered uneventfully and no clinical and laboratory abnormalities occurred during the 48 hour monitoring period after the procedure.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

Although the healthy canine pancreas is difficult to visualize in its entirety with EUS, pancreatic EUS-FNA with a 19 G needle is feasible in medium-sized dogs and can be considered a safe procedure. Its diagnostic usefulness should be evaluated in dogs with pancreatic disease.