This capsule is part of the WSAVA Global Edition of Clinician’s Brief.
Although studies have not found an association between duration of anesthesia and survival in dogs with gastric dilatation–volvulus (GDV), shorter anesthetic times are likely more desirable. For this reason, ventral midline gastropexy (VMG), in which the seromuscular layer of the ventral pyloric antrum is incorporated into the cranial part of the linea alba closure, may be preferred over other gastropexy techniques for its simplicity and speed. This retrospective study included 203 dogs that underwent VMG following a diagnosis of GDV. Owners completed a follow-up questionnaire, with the objective of evaluating recurrence rates and postoperative complications. At the time of questionnaire, owners reported a 93.6% success rate with 190/203 dogs experiencing no signs of gastric dilatation or GDV recurrence. For cases of reported recurrence for which adequate follow-up was available, 5/7 were resolved with gastric decompression via orogastric tube and lavage. Only 24/203 patients participated in follow-up imaging (ie, ultrasound, contrast radiography) to assess quality and permanency of the gastropexy; most of those that participated showed close contact of the gastric wall to the abdominal wall, indicating good adhesion. The biggest postoperative concern was that the stomach might be damaged during subsequent midline laparotomy. Of the 13 dogs that underwent a second midline abdominal incision, none had reports of complications, stomach perforation, or gastropexy site disruption. The authors conclude that VMG is a quick, reliable method of gastropexy, with a low complication rate.