Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vascular stents eased chylothorax in two dogs with heart masses
By Taylor, Scott et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2017·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Vascular stent placement for palliation of mass-associated chylothorax in two dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two dogs with breathing problems and fluid buildup in their chest were found to have heart tumors causing a blockage in their blood vessels. Both dogs had a condition called chylothorax, where lymph fluid accumulates in the chest, making it hard for them to breathe. They underwent surgery to place stents in their blood vessels to relieve the pressure, which successfully resolved their fluid issues. After the procedure, both dogs did well for over six months, although one dog later faced complications due to the tumor growing back.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · chylothorax treatment in dogs · heart tumor in dogs · dog pleural effusion surgery
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION 2 dogs with chylothorax were identified to have cardiac mass lesions obstructing the return of venous blood from the cranial vena cava. Chylous effusion was presumed to have been a result of an increase in cranial vena cava pressure affecting flow of chyle through the thoracic duct. CLINICAL FINDINGS Both dogs had tachypnea and pleural effusion requiring therapeutic thoracocentesis. Fluid analysis confirmed chylothorax. A heart-base mass was identified via echocardiography in each dog, and CT-angiographic findings confirmed obstruction to venous return in the cranial vena cava in both dogs and compression of the pulmonary artery in 1 dog. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME Each dog was anesthetized, and self-expanding endovascular stents were placed with fluoroscopic guidance. In both dogs, the site of stent placement was the cranial vena cava, and in 1 dog, an additional stent was positioned in the pulmonary artery. Chylous effusion resolved successfully in both dogs after surgery, with postoperative survival times exceeding 6 months. Complications included periprocedural arrhythmias in both dogs and eventual obstruction of the stent with tumor extension and fluid reaccumulation in 1 dog. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Endovascular stent placement may provide a useful palliative treatment for chylothorax secondary to vascular compression by a heart-base mass in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28857703/