Sunlight et al: Protein C and comparative biochemical changes in dogs treated with percutaneous transvenous coil embolization of congenital intrahepatic portosystemic shunts
Veterinary Surgery 1, 2022

🔍 Key Findings

• Postoperative Protein C (PC) activity increased in 78.7% of dogs, and was significantly higher in dogs with excellent clinical outcomes.
• Complete acute shunt occlusion resulted in higher postoperative PC activity (96.3%) and better ultimate clinical outcomes than incomplete occlusion.
• Preoperative PC was not predictive of clinical status, but postoperative PC was associated with improved outcomes.
• Standard biochemical markers (HCT, MCV, ALB, BUN) also improved postoperatively, especially in dogs with excellent clinical outcomes.
• Dogs requiring a second procedure had significantly lower postoperative PC (43.5%) than those not requiring further intervention (78.5%).
• Repeat procedures improved PC and BUN values, with PC increasing significantly after second intervention (to 69.8%).
• PC normalization (within reference interval) occurred in 87.5% of dogs with excellent clinical status, compared to only 12.5% in those with poor status.
• Clinical outcome classification (excellent/fair/poor) correlated with biochemical normalization and lack of need for diet/medications.