Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Kitten died from lung collapse after routine blood draw
By Godfrey, D R·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·1997·Nine Lives Veterinary Practice for Cats, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Bronchial rupture and fatal tension pneumothorax following routine venipuncture in a kitten.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A five-month-old Siamese kitten experienced a serious injury during a routine blood draw, resulting in a bronchial tear and a fatal tension pneumothorax (a life-threatening condition where air leaks into the chest cavity). Despite thorough examinations, no other injuries or underlying health issues were found. The exact cause of the bronchial tear was unclear, but it may have been related to airway blockage or pressure on the chest during the procedure. Unfortunately, the kitten did not survive this incident.
People also search for: kitten bronchial tear symptoms · tension pneumothorax in cats · blood draw complications in kittens
Abstract
A five-month-old Siamese kitten suffered a bronchial tear and subsequently a fatal tension pneumothorax during routine venipuncture. No other injuries and no underlying diseases were identified upon gross postmortem and histopathological examinations. The pathogenesis of the bronchial tear was undetermined. Bronchial ruptures are unreported in animals; they are well recognized as rare injuries in humans with chest trauma. The pathogenesis of the bronchial rupture most likely was due to occlusion of the upper airways (directly or due to laryngospasm), along with pressure on the chest, or due to stretching and twisting of the tracheobronchial tree.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9138237/