Figure 17.

Intraperitoneal administration of local anaesthetic is performed before ovariectomy/ovariohysterectomy and other abdominal procedures. Local anaesthetics with a longer duration of action (ie, bupivacaine) are used, and the solution is divided into three parts, which are ‘splashed’ over the right and left ovarian pedicles and at the caudal aspect of the uterine body (arrows) using a 3 ml syringe. The solution is quickly absorbed by the peritoneum. A technique involving injecting bupivacaine (2 mg/kg) at the ovarian suspensory ligaments and vessels, uterine body and incisional subcutaneous tissues has also been described; ¹³² it resulted in lower postoperative pain scores compared with a control group and was most beneficial in larger cats (>2.7 kg). Image courtesy of Paulo Steagall