Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog and cat with tracheal rupture - how they were treated
By Morath, Ute et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2015·Department of Veterinary Clinical Science Vetsuisse Faculty·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Perioperative and anesthetic management of complete tracheal rupture in one dog and one cat.
Plain-English summary
A dog and a cat were both brought in with severe breathing problems after suffering trauma. Doctors found that both had completely torn tracheas (the windpipe) using imaging while they were under anesthesia. To manage their breathing during surgery, the team kept the endotracheal tube positioned correctly and allowed the animals to breathe on their own before surgery. Thanks to quick teamwork and careful planning, both pets underwent successful surgeries and were able to go home a few days later.
People also search for: dog breathing problems after trauma · cat tracheal rupture treatment · emergency surgery for dog breathing issues
Abstract
The authors describe two animals (one dog and one cat) that were presented with severe respiratory distress after trauma. Computerized tomographic imaging under general anesthesia revealed, in both cases, complete tracheal transection. Hypoxic episodes during anesthesia were relieved by keeping the endotracheal tube (ETT) positioned in the cranial part of the transected trachea and by allowing spontaneous breathing. Surgical preparation was performed quickly, and patients were kept in a sternal position to improve ventilation and oxygenation, and were only turned into dorsal recumbency shortly before surgical incision. A sterile ETT was guided into the distal part of the transected trachea by the surgeon, at which point mechanical ventilation was started. Both animals were successfully discharged from hospital a few days after surgery. Rapid and well-coordinated teamwork seemed to contribute to the good outcome. Precise planning and communication between anesthetists, surgeons, and technicians, as well as a quick course of action prior to correct ETT positioning helped to overcome critical phases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25415210/