Balloon catheter as an extraction device for caudal vena cava adrenal tumor thrombectomy in a dog: A case report

Objective To report the use of a balloon catheter as an extraction device for a posthepatic caval thrombus in a dog with a right adrenal tumor. Animals Twelve‐year‐old male neutered Chihuahua mix dog. Study design Case report Methods The dog presented for the evaluation of a hepatic mass. Computed tomography of thorax and abdomen was performed, and a right lateral liver lobe mass and a right adrenal mass were noted. The adrenal mass had a caval thrombus extending almost to the level of the right atrium. Traditional methods of tumor thrombectomy were unsuccessful. Extraction of the thrombus was facilitated by passing a balloon catheter through the caudal vena cavotomy until it was cranial to the thrombus, inflating the balloon and slowly withdrawing the catheter. Results A malignant pheochromocytoma was diagnosed on histology. The dog had a subjectively assessed good quality of life until it was euthanized 118 days postoperatively for acute dyspnea. Conclusion Balloon catheter‐assisted thrombectomy was successful in removing an extensive caval thrombus that was otherwise difficult to extract via conventional methods. This technique can be considered in cases with extensive tumor thrombus either as a method of choice or when other methods of thrombus extraction have failed.