Multi‐Institutional, Retrospective Evaluation of Risk Factors Predicting Complications Associated With Perineal Urethrostomy in Cats With Urethral Obstruction (2009–2019): 140 Cases

OBJECTIVE: To describe the risk factors associated with complications of perineal urethrostomy (PU). DESIGN: Retrospective, multi-institutional study performed between January 2009 and December 2019. SETTING: Four university teaching hospitals. ANIMALS: One hundred forty feline patients undergoing surgery for PU. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Data collected included signalment, history, clinical signs, duration of indwelling urinary catheter, reason for the PU, initial PCV and total protein concentration, initial creatinine and BUN, surgery time, anesthesia time, whether a urinary catheter was placed postoperatively, perioperative complications, postoperative complications, the duration it took for complications to develop, and the requirement for surgical revision of the PU site. Postoperative complications up to 90 days were evaluated. The association between risk factors and the development of complications was statistically evaluated. Fifty-three of 140 cats (37.8%) experienced a complication perioperatively, immediately postoperative, or within 90 days of discharge. The most common complications included hypotension (15 cats), urinary tract infection (11 cats), and urethral stricture (five cats). Two cats were euthanized, and one cat died during hospitalization. No risk factors were identified that were statistically related to the development of complications or survival to hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Cats undergoing PU most commonly developed minor complications, and no risk factors were identified that led to the development of those complications.