Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Treatment and outcomes for dogs with esophagus muscle disorder
By Winston, John M et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2023·University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Management and outcomes of 13 dogs treated with a modified Heller myotomy and Dor fundoplication for lower esophageal sphincter achalasia-like syndrome.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Thirteen dogs with a condition called lower esophageal sphincter achalasia-like syndrome (LES-AS), which causes vomiting and regurgitation, underwent surgery involving a modified Heller myotomy and Dor fundoplication, along with a temporary feeding tube. Most of the dogs showed significant improvement in their symptoms, with owners reporting a 180% reduction in vomiting and a 100% improvement in quality of life after surgery. While one dog had to be euthanized due to complications, the majority survived and experienced better weight gain and fewer issues with eating. Overall, this surgical approach appears to be a promising option for dogs suffering from this condition.
People also search for: dog vomiting treatment · lower esophageal sphincter achalasia in dogs · dog surgery for regurgitation · feeding tube for dogs · dog quality of life after surgery
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report the management and outcomes of dogs treated for lower esophageal sphincter achalasia-like syndrome (LES-AS) with modified Heller myotomy, Dor fundoplication, and with the use of a temporary gastrostomy tube. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective. SAMPLE POPULATION: Thirteen client-owned dogs. METHODS: Medical records and a client survey were used to assess frequency of vomiting/regurgitation, quality of life (QoL), bodyweight, and feeding modifications at the following time points: prior to referral, postoperatively from discharge to first recheck (4-6 weeks), and from first recheck to survey (48 months). Postoperative and gastrostomy tube complications were surveyed and recorded. Pretreatment and 4-6 weeks postoperative videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) were compared. Two-sided t-tests were used to compare outcomes between survey time points. RESULTS: Postoperative VFSS scores (available in 9 dogs) improved over preoperative scores in 6 dogs, and 12/13 dogs survived to discharge. One dog was euthanized 3 days postoperatively due to aspiration pneumonia. Postoperative gastrostomy tube complications occurred in half of the dogs that survived to discharge. According to the owners, scores assigned to vomiting/regurgitation improved by 180% (P = .004), QoL by 100% (P = .004), and bodyweight by 63% (P = .035). CONCLUSION: Modified Heller myotomy with Dor fundoplication and the use of a temporary gastrostomy tube improved clinical signs and owners' perceived quality of life in half of the dogs treated for LES-AS in our clinical setting. Oral sildenafil therapy discontinued postoperatively suggests that surgery was equally efficacious. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Modified Heller myotomy with Dor fundoplication and temporary gastrostomy tube is a treatment option with potentially sustained benefits for dogs that have LES-AS.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36458673/