Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
A Presumed Dysphagia Aortica in a Siamese Cat.
- Journal:
- Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association
- Year:
- 2026
- Authors:
- Coquet, Alexis et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging · France
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old Siamese cat was brought in because it was suddenly regurgitating and vomiting. Tests showed that the cat had a twisted aorta that was pressing on its esophagus, which is similar to a rare condition in humans called dysphagia aortica (difficulty swallowing due to a blood vessel issue). Further examination found that the cat's esophagus was narrowed and had some sores because of a hairball blockage. After treating the cat conservatively, it showed signs of improvement. This case is notable because it appears to be the first documented instance of this condition in a cat, highlighting a new potential cause for esophageal problems.
Abstract
A 5-year-old Siamese cat presented with acute regurgitation and vomiting. Multimodal imaging revealed a tortuous thoracic aorta causing extraluminal esophageal compression. This vascular anomaly shares features with a rare human syndrome known as dysphagia aortica. The absence of hypertensive cardiomyopathy suggested a congenital malformation, despite the delayed presentation. Endoscopy confirmed esophageal stenosis with ulcerative lesions secondary to a trichobezoar obstruction at the stenotic site. Conservative management led to clinical improvement. This report documents, to our knowledge, the first feline case of presumed dysphagia aortica of likely congenital origin, expanding the spectrum of vascular causes for esophageal obstruction.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41787987/