Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Success and problems with v-gel airway placement in anaesthetised cats
By Hecker-Turkovic, Kathrin et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2022·Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Success of placement and complications during v-gel placement and maintenance of anaesthesia.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 148 cats undergoing anesthesia had a special laryngeal mask placed to help manage their airways instead of the usual endotracheal tube. Most of the masks were successfully placed on the first try, but a few needed more attempts, and some dislocated during the procedure, especially when the cats were positioned on their backs. In a couple of cases, there were issues like blockage and regurgitation. Overall, the laryngeal mask was easy to use, but careful monitoring is essential to catch any problems quickly.
People also search for: cat anesthesia complications · laryngeal mask for cats · cat airway management during surgery
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Airway management during anaesthesia in cats is always a demanding task and is associated with several complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the practicability and complications during feline-specific laryngeal mask placement in anaesthetised cats as an alternative to endotracheal intubation. METHODS: In this prospective clinical study, laryngeal masks were placed in 148 anaesthetised cats. Success of placement was evaluated by capnography. RESULTS: Placement was possible at the first attempt in 136 cats, at the second attempt in eight cats and at the third attempt in one cat. In one cat, placement was not possible. Two cats were excluded. Failure to position the laryngeal mask at the first attempt was not different between laryngeal mask sizes ( = 0.313) or positioning during placement ( = 0.406). In nine cats, the laryngeal mask dislocated during the procedure. Dislocation occurred more often in the dorsal position than in the sternal ( = 0.018) and right lateral positions ( = 0.046). Mucous obstruction of the laryngeal mask occurred in one of these cats and regurgitation in another. Material-related issues, such as disconnection of the parts of the laryngeal mask and leakage of the balloon, were observed in 2/8 laryngeal masks. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The placement of a feline-specific laryngeal mask was easy to perform. In about 7% of the cases, replacement of the device was required due to mispositioning or dislocation. Full monitoring, including capnography, should be provided to uncover dislocation and airway obstruction immediately.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34663126/