Acknowledgement
We would like to thank Able Implant & Instrument for their assistance with making the instrument.
References
- Ettinger SJ, Feldman EC, Cote E. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 8th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2017.
- Nelson RW, Couto CG. Small Animal Internal Medicine. 5th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2019.
- Bowman DD, Atkins CE. Heartworm biology, treatment, and control. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2009;39(6):1127-1158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2009.06.003
- Morchon R, Carreton E, Gonzalez-Miguel J, Mellado-Hernandez I. Heartworm disease (Dirofilaria immitis) and their vectors in Europe - new distribution trends. Front Physiol. 2012;3:196.
- Tzipory N, Crawford PC, Levy JK. Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis, Ehrlichia canis, and Borrelia burgdorferi in pet dogs, racing greyhounds, and shelter dogs in Florida. Vet Parasitol. 2010;171(1-2):136-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.03.016
- Colby KN, Levy JK, Dunn KF, Michaud RI. Diagnostic, treatment, and prevention protocols for canine heartworm infection in animal sheltering agencies. Vet Parasitol. 2011;176(4):333-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.01.018
- Kitagawa H, Sasaki Y, Ishihara K, Hirano Y. Contribution of live heartworms harboring in pulmonary arteries to pulmonary hypertension in dogs with dirofilariasis. Nippon Juigaku Zasshi. 1990;52(6):1211-1217. https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms1939.52.1211
- Bove CM, Gordon SG, Saunders AB, Miller MW, Roland RM, Achen SE, et al. Outcome of minimally invasive surgical treatment of heartworm caval syndrome in dogs: 42 cases (1999-2007). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2010;236(2):187-192. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.236.2.187
- Atkins CE, Keene BW, McGuirk SM. Investigation of caval syndrome in dogs experimentally infected with Dirofilaria immitis. J Vet Intern Med. 1988;2(1):36-40. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.1988.tb01975.x
- Strickland KN. Canine and feline caval syndrome. Clin Tech Small Anim Pract. 1998;13(2):88-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1096-2867(98)80012-1
- Weisse C, Berent A. Veterinary Image-Guided Interventions. 1st ed. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons; 2015.
- Jones SL. Part 3: management of caval syndrome. Todays Vet Pract. 2016;6:55-61.
- Lee SG, Moon HS, Hyun C. Percutaneous heartworm removal from dogs with severe heart worm (Dirofilaria immitis) infestation. J Vet Sci. 2008;9(2):197-202. https://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2008.9.2.197
- Yoon WK, Choi R, Lee SG, Hyun C. Comparison of 2 retrieval devices for heartworm removal in 52 dogs with heavy worm burden. J Vet Intern Med. 2013;27(3):469-473. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.12079
- Marinov G, Zlateva-Panayotova N. Surgical methods for extraction of adult forms of Dirofilaria immitis from the heart in dogs. Trad Modernity Vet Med. 2019;4(2):40-45.
- Zlateva-Panayotova N, Marinov G, Rafailov R, Borisov B, Hadzhimitev D, Panayotov P, et al. Surgical extraction of adult forms of Dirofilaria immitis in dog. A pilot study. Trad Modernity Vet Med. 2018;3(2):79-85.
- Ishihara K, Sasaki Y, Kitagawa H. Development of a flexible alligator forceps: a new instrument for removal of heartworms in the pulmonary arteries of dogs. Nippon Juigaku Zasshi. 1986;48(5):989-991. https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms1939.48.989
- Yoon WK, Han D, Hyun C. Catheter-guided percutaneous heartworm removal using a nitinol basket in dogs with caval syndrome. J Vet Sci. 2011;12(2):199-201. https://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2011.12.2.199
- Alho AM, Fiarresga A, Landum M, Lima C, Gamboa O, Meireles J, et al. A homemade snare: an alternative method for mechanical removal of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs. Vet Med Int. 2016;2016:5780408.
- Girdan GT, Constantinescu R, Ion C, Ionita M, Mitrea IL. A creative concept for transvenous extraction of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs with heartworm caval syndrome: a case report. Rev Sci Parasitol. 2018;19(1/2):52-61.
- Lee S, Park J, Hyun C. Mechanical heartworm removal from 2 dogs with caval syndrome using modified extraction brushes. J Vet Clin. 2013;30(1):36-40. https://doi.org/10.17555/jvc.2014.02.32.1.36
- Yoon H, Jeong S, Kim J, Han H, Jang H, Lee B, et al. The efficacy of surgical treatment with flexible alligator forceps in dogs with heartworm infection. J Vet Clin. 2005;22(4):309-313.
- Ishihara K, Kitagawa H, Sasaki Y. Efficacy of heartworm removal in dogs with dirofilarial hemoglobinuria using flexible alligator forceps. Nippon Juigaku Zasshi. 1988;50(3):739-745. https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms1939.50.739
- Ishihara K, Sasaki Y, Kitagawa H, Hayama M. Clinical effects after heartworm removal from pulmonary arteries using flexible alligator forceps in dogs with common dirofilariasis. Nippon Juigaku Zasshi. 1988;50(3):723-730. https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms1939.50.723
- Arita N, Yamane I, Takemura N. Comparison of canine heartworm removal rates using flexible alligator forceps guided by transesophageal echocardiography and fluoroscopy. J Vet Med Sci. 2003;65(2):259-261. https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.65.259