Study highlights scissor-based option for canine ectopic ureters: full analysis

Version 2

A new Journal of Small Animal Practice study describes outcomes in 25 dogs undergoing surgery for intramural ureteral ectopia using a modified cystoscopic-guided scissor transection technique, positioning the approach as a minimally invasive alternative to cystoscopic-guided laser ablation. Based on the published abstract, dogs had a marked improvement in continence, with median scores rising from 1/5 pre-operatively to 5/5 post-operatively, and complication rates were reported as low. (merckvetmanual.com)

The study lands in a clinical area where case selection and expectations matter. Ureteral ectopia is a congenital abnormality and a leading cause of urinary incontinence in young dogs. Intramural ectopic ureters are the most common form seen in dogs, and affected patients often have concurrent abnormalities such as hydroureter, hydronephrosis, renal hypoplasia, bladder hypoplasia, or urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence. Those associated findings help explain why technically successful correction of the ectopic ureter doesn't always translate into full continence. (actavetscand.biomedcentral.com)

That background is important because continence outcomes after treatment have historically been variable. A 2022 long-term study of 31 female dogs treated with cystoscopic-guided laser ablation reported a median continence score improvement from 2 to 5 when adjunctive medical management was included, with 67.7% ultimately considered continent. A separate review cited in the literature found complete resolution rates after surgery ranging from 25% to 82%, underscoring how much concurrent anatomy and urethral function can shape results. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

The scissor-transection paper appears to build on an earlier smaller case series describing cystoscopic-guided scissor transection in eight female dogs as an alternate minimally invasive option to laser ablation. Industry-facing referral materials also suggest some specialty centers already position cystoscopic scissors alongside diode laser for repositioning the ureteral opening in appropriate intramural cases, which points to real-world interest in techniques that don't depend on laser equipment. That said, the strongest comparative evidence in the published literature still centers on laser-based correction, not scissors, so the new 25-dog series is likely to be read as an expansion of the evidence base rather than a practice-changing head-to-head comparison. (researchgate.net)

No independent expert reaction tied specifically to this paper was readily available in accessible sources, but the broader literature is consistent on one point: minimally invasive correction is attractive when anatomy is favorable. Merck’s veterinary reference notes that intramural ectopic ureters can be addressed surgically, but postoperative incontinence remains a key complication, especially in bilateral cases, and phenylpropanolamine may still help some dogs after intervention. In other words, the new study’s strong continence signal is encouraging, but most clinicians will still interpret it through the lens of multimodal management, not procedural cure alone. (merckvetmanual.com)

Why it matters: For general practitioners, surgeons, and specialty teams, this paper may widen the conversation around what “minimally invasive” correction can look like in practice. If the full report confirms low complication rates and reproducible technique details, scissor transection could become a practical option for centers with cystoscopic capability but without ready access to laser systems. That could improve referral flexibility and potentially lower barriers to treatment for some pet parents. At the same time, veterinary teams will still need to counsel clearly on residual incontinence risk, the possible role of adjunctive drugs, and the importance of identifying concurrent anatomic abnormalities that may limit continence even after technically successful correction. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What to watch: The next step is the full paper’s granular data, including signalment, unilateral versus bilateral disease, concurrent abnormalities, reintervention rates, and duration of follow-up, because those details will determine whether this technique is best viewed as a niche workaround for laser-free settings or a broadly adoptable addition to the minimally invasive toolbox. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)