Laparoscopic Retrieval of Abdominal Cysts in Sheep and Goat

The study was planned to evaluate the use of laparoscopy for the diagnosis and retrieval of abdominal cysts in sheep and goats. The abdominal cysts were located in 10 of 135 adult, healthy small ruminants by using ultrasonography (USG). Percutaneous Puncture-Aspiration-Injection-Reaspiration (PAIR) technique was used for six animals. Thirty animals, including four diagnosed with abdominal cysts by USG, were subsequently subjected to laparoscopy under diazepam sedation (0.1 mg/kg, IV) and lumbosacral epidural regional anesthesia using 2% lignocaine hydrochloride (1.0 ml/5 kg). The animals were restrained in dorsal recumbency and two-port paramedian laparoscopy was performed. Abdominal cysts were located in seven animals (one cyst/animal). The cysts were grasped carefully, lifted close to the abdominal wall, and evacuated percutaneously under laparoscopic vision. The collapsed cysts were then retrieved. In two animals enlarged ports were sutured, treated with an antibiotic and an analgesic, resulting in uneventful healing. Five cysts were nonparasitic, two were parasitic, one extracted from a sheep, and one from a goat. In conclusion, laparoscopy has higher diagnostic accuracy in detecting unattached abdominal cysts in sheep and goats compared to USG. It is also a reliable, minimally invasive, and safe procedure for cyst retrieval. However, a larger-scale study is necessary for ascertaining long-term complications and the recurrence rate.