Veterinary Surgery January 2026 – Soft Tissue Part 2: BOAS Surgery Durability & Hepatic Resection Risk

In this Simini Small Animal Surgery Podcast episode, we continue our soft tissue coverage from the January 2026 issue of Veterinary Surgery with two studies focused on improving objective surgical assessment and risk prediction.One paper examines the long-term physiologic outcomes of brachycephalic airway surgery, using objective respiratory testing rather than owner perception. The second analyzes predictors of complications in canine hepatic mass resections, highlighting how preoperative imaging and systemic health influence surgical risk.In this episode:✅ Johnson et al. — Evaluated long-term outcomes after brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) surgery in 32 dogs using objective respiratory testing, including respiratory functional grading and whole-body plethysmography. The study showed a dramatic drop in the BOAS index from 71.6% pre-surgery to 46.7% post-surgery, with durable improvement maintained at 49.1% after a median follow-up of 4.5 years. More than 80% of dogs maintained improved respiratory function, demonstrating the long-term durability of multi-level airway correction. ✅ Konno et al. — A retrospective study of 96 dogs undergoing hepatic mass resection, identifying predictors of severe complications within two weeks of surgery. The overall severe complication rate was 17.7% with a mortality rate of 6.3%. Importantly, surgical risk was not associated with the hepatic lobe involved, but rather with the distance between the mass and the caudal vena cava on CT imaging, underlying systemic disease, and intraoperative hypotension. Together, these studies highlight how objective measurement—whether of airway function or surgical anatomy—can dramatically improve clinical decision-making and surgical planning.🎓 Journal Articles DiscussedJohnson et al. — Comparison of short- and long-term objective respiratory outcomes after surgery for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndromeKonno et al. — Risk factors for complications associated with canine hepatic mass resection: A study of 96 cases📚 From the January 2026 issue of Veterinary Surgery🎁 Want to learn more about Simini Protect Lavage or request a sample?Learn More: www.simini.comRequest a Sample:https://www.simini.com/evaluation-kit