When the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium discovered that Shaila, a 19-year-old female, critically endangered western lowland gorilla, had a large mass in her abdomen, they were concerned that it might be cancerous and turned to an unexpected source for help: human cancer experts at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). Liver surgery is a not a simple procedure. The anatomical structures are both delicate and complex, making it a high-risk surgery, and the need for it is uncommon in animals. But gorilla and human anatomy are remarkably similar, so asking for help from a specialist in human liver surgery made sense. A CT scan followed by a biopsy pointed to a liver mass. Veterinarians then shared tissue samples with pathology experts at the OSUCCC – James, where they were analyzed using highly sophisticated digital pathology tools that enable pathologists to do 3D micro-analyses of cells not possible with traditional 2D pathology views. They confirmed the liver tumor was precancerous and very likely to take Shaila’s life if not addressed surgically. “As a team, we agreed that Shaila’s tumor should be considered high risk. Based on the size and specific molecular characteristics, the large mass needed to be removed to reduce her risk of developing liver cancer, which would lead to a terminal diagnosis,” says Allan Tsung, MD, chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at Ohio State. Dr. Tsung led the collaborative surgical team consisting of 10 medical professionals from the OSUCCC – James, Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, MedVet and OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital. The intensive three-hour procedure took place on November 5 at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium Veterinary Hospital. There were no complications during the surgery to remove the large liver tumor, which was close to six inches in size. To keep Shaila from disturbing her 10-inch incision site post-surgery, the animal care team painted her fingernails bright pink to serve as a distraction. Performing surgery for this 200-pound gorilla was a cross-institutional, collaborative effort that involved donations of personnel time, medical equipment and supplies from numerous sources, including Medtronic. Several weeks after Shaila’s surgery, her caregivers at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium say she is doing well and recovering in one of the behind-the-scenes gorilla bedrooms in the zoo’s Congo Expedition region, where she also has access to her fellow troop members (gorillas live in groups called troops). “We used our expertise to manage the case and follow-up care, and Dr. Tsung used his expertise in the surgery suite to remove the mass. Between these two teams, we’ve had a great success,” says Randy Junge, DVM, vice president of animal health at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium.