Pre-operative and intra-operative surgical considerations for haemabdomen

Haemabdomen - What to consider before embarking upon surgery 
A haemabdomen is commonly identified in emergency practice. This presentation is often accompanied by standard owner communication where the assumption is that the bleeding is originating from a splenic mass that is presumed to be a haemangiosarcoma. The limitations of emergency practice often means decisions are made on limited diagnostic investigation and one option offered is an immediate splenectomy. But what is the potential drawbacks to performing an exploratory coeliotomy with limited information? What if the bleeding is originating from another abdominal organ? What if there is gross evidence of spread of disease? This presentation will focus on our approach to these cases and will focus on how to communicate this situation to owners and how to best prognosticate these cases. We will also discuss the surgical technique advised and additional surgical considerations. 

Recording from 14 December 2021