Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Severe esophagus damage after anesthesia in two cats
By Adami, Chiara et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2011·Department of Clinical Veterinary Science·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Severe esophageal injuries occurring after general anesthesia in two cats: case report and literature review.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Two healthy cats developed serious throat problems after having surgery under general anesthesia. Both cats showed signs of difficulty swallowing and regurgitation a few days later. One cat suffered from a ruptured esophagus and severe breathing issues, while the other had a narrowed esophagus and a pouch-like formation. Unfortunately, due to the severity of their conditions, both cats were euthanized. This case highlights the rare but serious risks associated with anesthesia in cats.
People also search for: cat regurgitation after surgery · cat difficulty swallowing · esophageal injury in cats · cat anesthesia risks
Abstract
Two healthy cats underwent elective surgical procedures under general anesthesia. One developed severe esophagitis leading to esophageal rupture, mediastinitis, and pyothorax. The other cat developed esophageal stricture, diverticulum formation, and suspected iatrogenic perforation. Both cats had signs of dysphagia and regurgitation beginning a few days after anesthesia. The first cat also had severe dyspnea due to septic pleural effusion and pneumomediastinum. In the second cat, endoscopy revealed diffuse esophagitis, an esophageal stricture, and a large esophageal diverticulum. Rupture of the esophageal wall occurred while inflating the esophagus for inspection. Due to the poor prognosis, both cats were euthanized. Necropsy revealed severe esophageal changes. Postanesthetic esophagitis has been previously described in dogs and cats; however, severe life-threatening esophageal injuries rarely occur as a sequel to general anesthesia. To the authors' knowledge, esophageal rupture secondary to perianesthetic reflux has never been reported in cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22058351/