Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Fatal hemothorax following management of an esophageal foreign body.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Year:
- 2003
- Authors:
- Cohn, Leah A et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery · United States
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10.8-year-old spayed female toy poodle was brought in because she had swallowed something that got stuck in her esophagus. The vet removed the object using a special camera and placed a feeding tube to help her eat while her esophagus healed. After the tube was taken out, the dog suddenly developed a serious condition called hemothorax, where blood collects in the chest, and sadly, she passed away. It was found that small blood vessels had been torn away from the main artery, and there were signs of damage in the artery itself, likely due to a previous issue with blood flow. Unfortunately, the treatment did not save her life.
Abstract
A 10.8-year-old, spayed female toy poodle presented with an esophageal foreign body. The foreign body was removed endoscopically, and a gastrostomy tube was placed to provide nutritional support during esophageal healing. The gastrostomy tube was later removed by endoscopic retrieval of the bulb through the esophagus. Immediately afterward, the dog developed hemothorax and eventually died. It was determined that many small arterial branches were avulsed from the aorta. The involved sections of aorta histopathogically evidenced medial necrosis, which was believed to be related to a prior disruption of blood flow through the vasa vasorum.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12755198/