Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40281978›Full record

ArticleAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI2025

Evaluation of Lateral Ear Canal Ablation (LECA) as a Surgical Treatment Option for External Ear Canal Disease in Lop-Eared Pet Rabbits (

Anne Willems, Johannes Hetterich, Milena Thöle, Michael Pees, Michael Fehr, Maximilian Reuschel

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Anne WillemsDepartment of Small Mammal, Reptile and Avian Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 2, 30559 Hannover, Germany.
Johannes HetterichDepartment of Small Mammal, Reptile and Avian Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 2, 30559 Hannover, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8997-5944
Milena ThöleVeterinary Clinic Posthausen, Rothlaker Straße 1, 28870 Posthausen, Germany.
Michael PeesDepartment of Small Mammal, Reptile and Avian Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 2, 30559 Hannover, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7244-9697
Michael FehrDepartment of Small Mammal, Reptile and Avian Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 2, 30559 Hannover, Germany.
Maximilian ReuschelDepartment of Small Mammal, Reptile and Avian Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 2, 30559 Hannover, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8083-677X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A soft tissue-filled external ear canal, sometimes also referred to as otitis externa in the veterinary literature, is a prevalent disease in pet rabbits, especially in lop-eared pet rabbits. The authors describe the clinical findings, diagnostic workup, therapy, and outcome of pet rabbits treated surgically for a lateral ear canal ablation (LECA). For the time period between 2015 and 2023, the medical records of two veterinary clinics were evaluated retrospectively. A total of 25 pet rabbits, diagnosed via computed tomography (CT) scans with a soft tissue-filled external ear canal and (if present) middle ear, were identified. All the pet rabbits were evaluated as lop-eared pet rabbits and all were treated surgically using the same surgical technique, LECA. In accordance with Richardson et al., we categorized the different ear filling levels by using the grading system that was established in 2019. The mean follow-up period was 19 days, and in one case complete wound healing was not reached within 131 days after surgery. A total of 7/25 of the pet rabbits were evaluated with wound healing issues. Of the cases, 18/25 did not develop any recurrent ear diseases. Loss to follow-up was observed in 5/25 of the cases and recurrent ear diseases were identified in 2/25 of the pet rabbits. Progression of the ear disease was detected in four cases. CT post-operative images were acquired for 14/25 of the pet rabbits. Based on this study, LECA can be considered a safe surgical method to treat soft tissue-filled external ear canals, especially in lop-eared pet rabbits. Nonetheless, thorough post-surgical management including wound control is critical for therapy success.

Indexed as

ear diseaselateral ear canal ablationrabbit surgerysmall mammal

Identifiers

PMID40281978
PMCPMC12024415

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.