Análisis comparativo de la epitelización post-orquiectomía en (Felis catus), usando la técnica Miller y nudo biológico, en dos establecimientos veterinarios de Guayaquil.

Abstract

Orchiectomy is the most common elective surgical procedure in small animal veterinary medicine and is essential for feline population control. The spermatic cord ligation technique can be performed using a Miller knot with synthetic suture material or a biological knot using the cord's own tissue. The objective of the study was to compare both techniques by evaluating the inflammatory response and the quality of postoperative healing. One hundred male cats were operated on in two veterinary clinics in Guayaquil, Ecuador, with 50 patients randomly assigned to each technique. The research had a quantitative, experimental, descriptive, and comparative approach. The results were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis, showing statistically significant differences (p<0.05) in all parameters: heat, redness, swelling, exudate, and wound integrity on days 7 and 10 postoperatively. The biological knot showed lower inflammation values, with reductions of 85 % in redness and 91 % in heat between days 7 and 10, compared to 44 % and 39 %, respectively, in the Miller group. These results confirm that the biological knot generates a lower tissue response and better healing efficacy, attributable to the absence of exogenous synthetic material. Both techniques demonstrated hemostatic safety; however, the quality of healing differed substantially. This study provides scientific evidence supporting the selection of the biological knot as the preferred technique in feline orchiectomy, optimizing postoperative well-being and veterinary surgical care standards.