🔍 Key Findings
- Thoracoscopic (TL) and thoracoscopic-assisted (TAL) lobectomy were performed in 12 dogs with non-neoplastic pulmonary consolidation.
- 44% (4/9) of TL cases required conversion, most often due to pleural adhesions or poor visualization — a higher rate than for neoplastic lobectomies.
- Surgical mortality was 8.3% (1/12 dogs), with death attributed to unaddressed BOAS, not surgical complications.
- All 11 surviving dogs had no recurrence of clinical signs at a median 24-month follow-up.
- Perioperative complications occurred in 58% (7/12): pneumothorax (2), hemorrhage (3), wound dehiscence (1), progressive pneumonia (1).
- One-lung ventilation (OLV) was successful in 78% of TL dogs but may be harder to achieve in brachycephalic breeds.
- Most dogs had infectious pneumonia (10/12), with bacterial causes identified in 8; fungal and viral etiologies were less common.
- Hospitalization was short, with median stays of 3–4 days depending on approach and conversion status.
