Criocirugia en tumores cutaneos en perros atendidos en la clinica Centralvet de la ciudad de Machala, 2023.

Abstract

The present study focuses on evaluating the efficacy of cryosurgery as a treatment for cutaneous tumors in dogs treated at CentralVet Clinic in Machala, 2023. Cryosurgery is a technique that uses liquid nitrogen at extremely low temperatures (-196°C) to destroy tumor cells. This study has three specific objectives: to diagnose the presence of cutaneous tumors through cytology, to apply the cryosurgery technique to these tumors, and to determine the effectiveness of the treatment by directly observing macroscopic changes in the wound until recovery, categorized as complete, partial, or absent response.A total of 22 cutaneous tumors less than 3 cm (both benign and malignant) were included in the study and diagnosed cytologically. The results identified four types of tumors (sebaceous adenoma, hemangioma, melanoma, and hemangiosarcoma). Cryosurgery was applied to all, and the evolution of the wounds was observed. The results showed that cryosurgery was effective in 86.36% of cases, achieving a complete response within a recovery period of up to 33 days. The remaining 13.64% of tumors had a partial (adenoma) or absent response (melanoma), both in the same patient. This could be due to two factors: the owner removed the scab three days after it formed, and the masses had a shorter exposure time to nitrogen compared to the others. These findings suggest that cryosurgery can be a viable and effective alternative, being less invasive and more economical compared to conventional surgery and other treatments. It can also be used in conjunction with other alternatives, benefiting both animals and their owners by providing an effective and low-risk solution for managing cutaneous tumors.