Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Balloon dilation improves survival in dogs with pulmonic stenosis
By Johnson, M Stafford et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2004·Veterinary Cardiorespiratory Centre, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pulmonic stenosis in dogs: balloon dilation improves clinical outcome.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old Boxer was diagnosed with severe pulmonic stenosis, a heart condition that can cause breathing problems and fainting. The dog underwent a procedure called balloon valvuloplasty, which helped to widen the narrowed area in the heart. After the treatment, the dog's heart pressure significantly decreased, and it showed improvement in its symptoms. In contrast, dogs that did not receive this treatment had a much higher risk of serious complications or death. Overall, balloon dilation proved to be an effective option for improving the health and longevity of dogs with this condition.
People also search for: dog pulmonic stenosis treatment · Boxer heart problems · balloon valvuloplasty for dogs
Abstract
Medical records of 81 dogs with severe pulmonic stenosis from 2 referral centers were examined retrospectively. Forty dogs underwent balloon valvuloplasty (BV), which was performed by 1 operator, whereas 41 did not. The mean age at latest follow-up was 41.5 months. A statistical comparison of the clinical outcome and survival was performed. Dogs revealing clinical signs at presentation showed a 16-fold increase in risk of death compared with asymptomatic dogs (P < .001). Statistical analyses demonstrated that an increase of 1 mm Hg in transstenotic pressure gradient (PG) at presentation was associated with a 3% increase in hazard rate (P < .001). Thirty-seven dogs survived BV with a median reduction in PG of 46%. The median preoperative PG was 120 mm Hg, and median PG 24 hours postoperatively was 55 mm Hg with a median of 55 mm Hg 6 months post-BV. Twenty (49%) of the non-BV (NBV) dogs remained asymptomatic at last follow-up. Fourteen (34%) of the NBV dogs died or were euthanized because of heart disease related to pulmonic stenosis. Twelve of these dogs died suddenly, whereas only 1 of the BV dogs died suddenly. After adjusting for PG, clinical signs at presentation, and age, BV or dilation was associated with a 53% reduction in hazard rate (P = .005). This study indicates that BV, when performed by an experienced operator, appears to be successful both in alleviating clinical signs and in prolonging survival in dogs with severe pulmonic stenosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15515581/