Abstract:
This case presents a thorn-induced abdominal foreign
body granuloma that was removed with single incision
laparoscopic surgery and an extraction bag. An 11-yearold
female cheetah presented for routine laparoscopic
ovariectomy. Abdominal palpation detected a midabdominal
mass. Differential diagnoses were neoplasia
and foreign body. Laparoscopic exploration of the
peritoneal cavity revealed an omentalised mass, which
was successfully removed with the aid of bipolar
electrocoagulation. Microscopic investigation
intraoperatively and postoperatively confirmed extensive
foreign body-induced granulomatous inflammation. The
foreign body was well encapsulated by fibrous tissue
with no adjacent stricture formation. The patient made a
complete recovery, and this is the first case report of a
thorn-induced abdominal foreign body removed with
minimally invasive surgery in a wild African carnivore.
