A one-month-old, Piedmontese female calf was admitted to the Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, for repair of a large ventral hernia. A large ventral hernia, approximately 20 cm long and 15 cm large was noticed extending from 3 cm caudal to the umbilicus down to the pubis. At ultrasonography the hernia content was represented by small intestine and omentum and no adhesions to the hernial sac could be detected. The hernial sac was composed by skin only. Because of the large dimensions of the defect and the economic value of the animal, surgical correction was recommended to the owner. A prosthetic implant with a polypropylene mesh was elected due to the dimension of the abdominal defect. The implant was placed intra-abdominally with the interposition of the omentum between the mesh and the underlying viscera. Two and six months after surgery follow-ups were performed and a positive outcome was confirmed. This is the first report of ventral hernia repair in large animals that combines the use of a tension-free polypropylene mesh with the interposition of the omentum between the viscera and the mesh. This procedure is safe, cost-effective and not associated with major complications.

An 11-month old, Piedmontese bullock was admitted to the Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, for urolithiasis and suspected uroperitoneum owing to urinary bladder rupture. A first episode of uroperitoneum had been treated surgically one week previously. On admission, the animal underwent physical and haematological examination, followed by transabdominal ultrasonography and biochemical screening. Clinical and laboratory findings confirmed the recurrence of uroperitoneum, possibly secondary to the previously failed surgical approach. During surgery, urine leakage from the previously treated tear was clearly visible, together with a large necrotic area surrounding the tear. To close the defect, we created a peritoneal flap. For tissue approximation we used a continuous barbed suture material, which obviated the need for knots to secure the leading and terminal ends of the suture. Postoperative monitoring included transabdominal ultrasonography and biochemical profile tests, performed at 10 and 30 days after surgery. Two months after discharge, a telephone follow-up confirmed the positive outcome of the procedure. The creation of a peritoneal flap allows for effective sealing of a bladder tear with necrotic edges. The use of barbed suture greatly simplifies the entire procedure.Keywords: calf; soft tissue surgery; bladder surgery; peritoneal flap Case descriptionAn 11-month old, Piedmontese bullock weighing 325 kilograms was referred for suspected uroperitoneum. The bullock had a two-day history of acute abdomen and anuria. On physical examination, the animal showed signs of depression, weakness, bruxism, tail flagging, and bilateral distension of the ventral abdomen with a fluid wave on ballottement. The preputial tuft was dry, with the presence of crystals. Transabdominal ultrasonography excluded hydronephrosis but confirmed the presence of a large amount of free fluid in the peritoneal cavity. Complete blood cell count was within the normal range, whereas biochemical tests revealed severe azotaemia (creatinine = 1376.38 µmol/l; urea = 72.11 mmol/l) and a slight increase in serum potassium concentration (5.83 mmol/l). Based on these findings, the case was diagnosed as obstructive urolithiasis with urinary bladder rupture and subsequent uroperitoneum. Because of the high economic value of the animal, surgical correction was advised.Ultrasound-guided abdominocentesis was employed to slowly remove about 15 l of urine in approximately 45 min. The procedure was performed using a 5-mm laparoscopic trocar cannula (Covidien, Italy). After sterile skin preparation, the patient received epidural anaesthesia (0.05 mg/kg xylazine and 2% lidocaine (0.2 mg/kg)). The animal was placed in dorsal recumbency and received fluid therapy with 0.9% NaCl (4 ml/kg/h, i.v.). The ventral abdomen was clipped and surgically prepared. A local inverted V-block, cranial to the incision site, was also performed using 2% lidocaine. The prepuce and penis were laterally reflected and a ventral midline celiotomy was mad...