Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat died during anesthesia due to equipment mismatch causing lung
By O'Hagan, B J & McKinnon, C·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2013·Jurox Pty Ltd, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A feline anaesthetic death associated with equipment incompatibility.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A young cat was put under anesthesia for a spay surgery but developed a swollen belly right after being connected to the anesthesia machine. The vet discovered that the equipment was not compatible, causing the cat to receive too much oxygen, which led to serious lung damage. Despite attempts to save her, the cat sadly passed away. This case highlights the importance of checking that all anesthesia equipment works well together before any procedure.
People also search for: cat anesthesia risks · why is my cat's belly swollen after surgery · cat spay surgery complications
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A juvenile cat was anaesthetised for ovariohysterectomy. After intubation, the endotracheal tube was connected to an end-tidal CO(ETCO) in-line adapter and then to a non-rebreathing anaesthetic system. Immediately on connection to the non-rebreathing system, the patient developed abdominal distension. The endotracheal tube was removed and found to be supplying a continuous flow of oxygen while connected to the ETCOmonitor adapter and rebreathing system. The adapter was removed from the rebreathing line and the endotracheal tube re-inserted. Despite resuscitation attempts, the cat died. RESULTS: Necropsy revealed barotrauma to the lungs and separation of the diaphragm from the dorsal body wall, with retroperitoneal gas accumulation. Close inspection of the gas delivery system revealed the creation of a plastic-to-plastic seal between the internal fresh gas pipe of the non-rebreathing system and the ETCOadapter, preventing overflow of excess gas. CONCLUSION: Careful assessment of equipment compatibility before every anaesthetic event is essential.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31027393/