Laparoscopic‐assisted treatment of giant urachal cyst in a female Dachshund

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical features and successful surgical management of a giant, symptomatic urachal cyst (UC) in a dog using a laparoscopic-assisted approach without partial cystectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Case report. ANIMAL: A 10-year-old, 4.6 kg, spayed female Dachshund. METHODS: The dog presented with urinary incontinence, pollakiuria, and abdominal distension. Computed tomography (CT) and cystography identified a 13-cm cystic lesion at the bladder apex without luminal communication. A laparoscopic exploration was initially attempted either for cyst resection, or for decortication combined with omentalization. Following percutaneous aspiration of the cyst, the lesion was dissected from the surrounding omental adhesion. Due to the inability to identify the course of both ureters and the indistinct anatomical margins between the cyst and the bladder, the procedure was converted to a mini-laparotomy. The cystic wall was readily separated from the bladder apex by blunt dissection and completely excised after circumferential incision at the external junction between the cyst and the bladder using a vessel sealing device. Following omentalization of the cyst resection site, the bladder was returned to its anatomical position within the peritoneal cavity. RESULTS: Postoperative recovery was uneventful. Transient apical bulging and discomfort during bladder distension were observed on postoperative cystography, attributed to a localized compliance mismatch between the denuded bladder wall and the stiffer, thermally coagulated region. Bladder capacity normalized by day 21 with a normal bladder silhouette. Histopathology confirmed a subserosal UC with no evidence of malignancy. The patient remained clinically well, and no recurrence was noted during a 20-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic-assisted resection was an effective, minimally invasive treatment for the giant UC in this dog. Consistent with current human medical guidelines, simple marginal excision without partial cystectomy proved feasible and sufficient for a UC lacking luminal communication, regardless of lesion size.