Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Mortality rates in brachycephalic dogs after partial staphylectomy
By Jones, Sarah A & Kennedy, Shawn C·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2024·MedVet Medical & Cancer Center for Pets, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparison of mortality of brachycephalic dogs undergoing partial staphylectomy using conventional incisional, carbon dioxide laser, or bipolar vessel sealing device.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at the risks of surgery for English bulldogs, French bulldogs, and pugs with breathing problems caused by brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Out of 606 dogs that underwent a procedure called partial staphylectomy, 24 dogs (about 4%) died after surgery. The technique using a bipolar vessel sealing device (BVSD) was linked to a higher risk of death compared to other methods, especially in dogs with more severe laryngeal collapse (a throat issue). This suggests that certain surgical methods and the severity of throat problems can affect the safety of the surgery.
People also search for: bulldog breathing problems surgery · brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome treatment · pug surgery risks
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare mortality of dogs undergoing partial staphylectomy using conventional incisional, carbon dioxide (CO) laser, and bipolar vessel sealing device (BVSD) techniques for the treatment of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective multicenter cohort study. ANIMALS: A total of 606 client-owned English bulldogs, French bulldogs, and pugs. METHODS: Medical records from 2011 to 2021 were reviewed for signalment, history, surgical technique, length of hospitalization, and complications. Multivariate statistical analysis was performed to compare odds of mortality between the three techniques of staphylectomy. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was 24/606 (4.0%). Of those 24 dogs, staphylectomy was performed with BVSD technique in 13 cases, with COlaser in nine, and using conventional incisional technique in two. Nine dogs were graded II or III laryngeal collapse, 14 were graded I, and one was unknown. BVSD technique was associated with mortality prior to discharge compared to the other two techniques (OR = 6.0, 95% CI: 1.3-28.4, p = .023). No differences were detected between conventional incisional and COlaser techniques. Concurrent higher grade (stage II or III) laryngeal collapse was independently associated with mortality prior to discharge (OR = 4.6, 95% CI: 1.8-11.8, p = .002). CONCLUSION: The use of BVSD and grade of laryngeal collapse were associated with a higher risk of perioperative mortality. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Clinical studies using a randomized trial design should be conducted to further determine the putative influence of surgical instrumentation in the perioperative mortality rate following multilevel surgery in dogs with BOAS.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37462406/