Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Perioperative and anesthetic management of complete tracheal rupture in one dog and one cat.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Year:
- 2015
- Authors:
- Morath, Ute et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Science Vetsuisse Faculty
Plain-English summary
In this study, a dog and a cat both experienced severe trouble breathing after suffering trauma, which was found to be caused by a complete tear in their windpipes. Special imaging showed the extent of the injury, and during surgery, the medical team was able to manage the animals' breathing by carefully positioning a breathing tube and allowing them to breathe on their own. They worked quickly to prepare for surgery, keeping the pets in a position that helped them get enough oxygen. Thanks to effective teamwork and careful planning, both the dog and cat recovered well and were able to go home a few days after their operations.
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: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25415210/