Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgical repair of severe chest deformity in a young cat
By Mestrinho, Lisa A et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2012·Centro Investigaç·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Open surgical correction combined with an external splint for correction of a non-compliant pectus excavatum in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 4-month-old female domestic shorthair cat was brought in for breathing problems and exercise intolerance, along with a noticeable inward curve of her chest. After evaluating her condition, the veterinarian decided on surgery to correct the issue, which involved reshaping the sternum and using a special silicone splint to hold everything in place. Follow-up X-rays showed that her chest shape improved significantly after the surgery. This approach appears to be a successful and cost-effective treatment for cats with similar chest deformities.
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Abstract
A 4-month-old domestic shorthair female cat weighing 1.3 kg was presented for evaluation of respiratory distress. The animal showed evident dyspnoea with exercise intolerance and a marked concave deformation of the sternum. After measurements of the fronto-sagittal and vertebral indexes, the pectus was classified as moderate and surgery was elected. Surgical correction was performed using an open approach to the sternum with osteotomy of the last sternebra and costochondral junctions of the eighth and ninth ribs bilaterally. A silicone based, U-shape external splint was manufactured and used to stabilise the sternum. Immediate and 5-week postsurgical radiographs revealed a decreased concavity of the sternum and an increase thoracic height at the level of the last sternebra. Postoperative results suggest that this technique could be an effective and economical option for cats with pectus excavatum with a non-compliant sternum.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22314092/