• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

SAGES

Reimagining surgical care for a healthier world

  • Home
    • Search
    • SAGES Home
    • SAGES Foundation Home
  • About
    • Who is SAGES?
    • SAGES Mission Statement
    • Advocacy
    • Strategic Plan, 2020-2023
    • Committees
      • Request to Join a SAGES Committee
      • SAGES Board of Governors
      • Officers and Representatives of the Society
      • Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs
      • Full Committee Rosters
      • SAGES Past Presidents
    • Donate to the SAGES Foundation
    • SAGES Store
    • Awards
      • George Berci Award
      • Pioneer in Surgical Endoscopy
      • Excellence In Clinical Care
      • International Ambassador
      • IRCAD Visiting Fellowship
      • Social Justice and Health Equity
      • Excellence in Community Surgery
      • Distinguished Service
      • Early Career Researcher
      • Researcher in Training
      • Jeff Ponsky Master Educator
      • Excellence in Medical Leadership
      • Barbara Berci Memorial Award
      • Brandeis Scholarship
      • Advocacy Summit
      • RAFT Annual Meeting Abstract Contest and Awards
    • “Unofficial” Logo Products
  • Meetings
    • NBT Innovation Weekend
    • SAGES Annual Meeting
      • 2024 Scientific Session Call For Abstracts
      • 2024 Emerging Technology Call For Abstracts
    • CME Claim Form
    • Industry
      • Advertising Opportunities
      • Exhibit Opportunities
      • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Future Meetings
    • Related Meetings Calendar
  • Join SAGES!
    • Membership Benefits
    • Membership Applications
      • Active Membership
      • Affiliate Membership
      • Associate Active Membership
      • Candidate Membership
      • International Membership
      • Medical Student Membership
    • Member News
      • Member Spotlight
      • Give the Gift of SAGES Membership
  • Patients
    • Healthy Sooner – Patient Information for Minimally Invasive Surgery
    • Patient Information Brochures
    • Choosing Wisely – An Initiative of the ABIM Foundation
    • All in the Recovery: Colorectal Cancer Alliance
    • Find a SAGES Member
  • Publications
    • SAGES Stories Podcast
    • SAGES Clinical / Practice / Training Guidelines, Statements, and Standards of Practice
    • Patient Information Brochures
    • TAVAC – Technology and Value Assessments
    • Surgical Endoscopy and Other Journal Information
    • SAGES Manuals
    • SCOPE – The SAGES Newsletter
    • COVID-19 Annoucements
    • Troubleshooting Guides
  • Education
    • OpiVoid.org
    • SAGES.TV Video Library
    • Safe Cholecystectomy Program
      • Safe Cholecystectomy Didactic Modules
    • Masters Program
      • SAGES Facebook Program Collaboratives
      • Acute Care Surgery
      • Bariatric
      • Biliary
      • Colorectal
      • Flexible Endoscopy (upper or lower)
      • Foregut
      • Hernia
      • Robotics
    • Educational Opportunities
    • HPB/Solid Organ Program
    • Courses for Residents
      • Advanced Courses
      • Basic Courses
    • Fellows Career Development Course
    • Robotics Fellows Course
    • MIS Fellows Course
    • Facebook Livestreams
    • Free Webinars For Residents
    • SMART Enhanced Recovery Program
    • SAGES OR SAFETY Video
    • SAGES at Cine-Med
      • SAGES Top 21 MIS Procedures
      • SAGES Pearls
      • SAGES Flexible Endoscopy 101
      • SAGES Tips & Tricks of the Top 21
  • Opportunities
    • NEW-Area of Concentrated Training Seal (ACT)-Advanced Flexible Endoscopy
    • SAGES Fellowship Certification for Advanced GI MIS and Comprehensive Flexible Endoscopy
    • Multi-Society Foregut Fellowship Certification
    • SAGES Research Opportunities
    • Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery
    • Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery
    • Fundamental Use of Surgical Energy
    • Job Board
    • SAGES Go Global: Global Affairs and Humanitarian Efforts
  • Search
    • Search All SAGES Content
    • Search SAGES Guidelines
    • Search the Video Library
    • Search the Image Library
    • Search the Abstracts Archive
  • OWLS
  • Log In

SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC NECK ABSCESS IN MILITARY-TRAINED BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN – A CASE REPORT

Clara Lee, MD1, Eric D Jensen, DVM2, Jennifer Meegan, DVM2, Marina Ivancic, DVM2, James Bailey, DVM3, Dean Hendrickson, DVM4, Jeffrey Weiss, MD1, Gordon Wisbach, MD, MBA1. 1Naval Medical Center San Diego, 2US Navy Marine Mammal Program, 3Veterinary Medicince, University of Florida, 4Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University

Successful major surgery on marine mammals is rare world-wide and has not been published in the modern literature.  This report describes the evaluation and treatment of a 22 year-old female US Navy-trained bottlenose dolphin with a chronic ventral cervical mass. Ultrasound and contrast radiography showed a discrete fluid-filled mass caudodorsal to the hyoid apparatus. Fluid culture from needle aspiration grew Candida glabrata. Over several years the abscess was managed with serial needle aspirations and multiple antifungals. In 2012 further growth of the abscess was noted that caused inspiratory stridor and decreased performance level.

After failed medical management, surgical treatment was pursued in 2014.  Under general endotracheal anesthesia, surgery was performed with the patient supine on a specially designed operative table.  Through a neck incision the abscess was located and image-guided drainage was performed.  After adequate drainage and curettage, a 10Fr Blake drain was placed in the surgical site. The ventral cervical muscles and incision were closed with sutures. The drain was secured to the dolphin with a bridle and the external drain bulb was secured to a pectoral fin strap.  The drain was removed 5 days later and the skin sutures gradually removed over 5 weeks. Three years after the surgery, the dolphin was clinically normal and follow-up imaging showed no significant recurrence of the abscess. This case demonstrates a novel surgical approach of managing abscesses in marine mammals, including placement and management of a negative suction drain in a submerged patient. The successful collaboration between veterinary anesthesiology, veterinary medicine, radiology, and general surgery allowed the patient to continue her normal activities as a full-duty service member.


Presented at the SAGES 2017 Annual Meeting in Houston, TX.

Abstract ID: 86355

Program Number: MSSP04

Presentation Session: Military iPoster (Non CME)

Presentation Type: MSSPoster

98

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • WhatsApp
  • Reddit

Related

Hours & Info

11300 West Olympic Blvd, Suite 600
Los Angeles, CA 90064
1-310-437-0544
[email protected]
Monday - Friday
8am to 5pm Pacific Time

Find Us Around the Web!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Important Links

SAGES 2023 Meeting Information

Healthy Sooner: Patient Information

SAGES Guidelines, Statements, & Standards of Practice

SAGES Manuals

 

  • taTME Study Info
  • Foundation
  • SAGES.TV
  • MyCME
  • Educational Activities

Copyright © 2023 Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons