Reconstruction of a large diaphragmatic defect in a kitten using small intestinal submucosa (SIS).

A double-layer sheet of small intestinal submucosa (SIS) was used to reconstruct a large chronic diaphragmatic defect in a 4-month-old kitten. The SIS graft was easy to use, postoperative recovery was uneventful, no side effects of the SIS implant were observed, and the SIS graft resulted in restoration of normal clinical function while allowing growth of the kitten without restriction of chest wall development. Herniation of fat through the caval hiatus was diagnosed 29 months postoperatively on a CT scan. The cat was free of clinical signs.