Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CT scan signs of lung air leak causing collapsed lung in two dogs
By Suran, Jantra N et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2014·Department of Clinical Studies, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Computed tomographic features of pneumothorax secondary to a bronchopleural fistula in two dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old male Labrador and a 7-year-old female mixed breed dog were both brought in for breathing problems caused by a condition called bronchopleural fistula (BPF), which led to continuous air leaks in their chests. In one dog, the BPF was linked to a previous foreign body, while in the other, it was associated with a heartworm infection. Both dogs underwent a special imaging test called a CT scan, which helped the vets see the issue clearly. They both had surgery to remove the affected lung lobe, and afterward, their breathing problems improved significantly.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · Labrador bronchopleural fistula treatment · mixed breed dog heartworm infection symptoms
Abstract
A bronchopleural fistula (BPF) can lead to continuous pneumothorax and is rarely reported clinically in dogs. This report describes computed tomographic (CT) findings in two dogs with BPFs and subsequent continuous pneumothoraces that necessitated thoracotomy. Both dogs had a peripheral BPF in the right caudal lung lobe. The fistula in one dog was secondary to a previous foreign body migration, and the fistula in the other was thought to be secondary to dirofilariasis. On both CT examinations, a dilated subsegmental bronchus was seen communicating with the pleural space at the center of a focal, concave region of parenchymal consolidation. Multiplanar reformatting aided in identification and characterization of the BPF. The pneumothoraces resolved after right caudal lobectomy in both dogs. CT has the potential to identify BPFs, such as secondary to foreign body migration or dirofilariasis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24855093/