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Tracheal perforation secondary to suture irritation in a dog following a ventral slot procedure
Author(s) -
Clements D. N.,
McGill S.,
Beths T.,
Sullivan M.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of small animal practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1748-5827
pISSN - 0022-4510
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2003.tb00160.x
Subject(s) - medicine , irritation , fibrous joint , perforation , surgery , anatomy , punching , materials science , metallurgy , immunology
An eight‐year‐old springer spaniel was presented with acute‐onset subcutaneous emphysema of five days’ duration. The dog had undergone ventral slot decompression of the C5‐C6 intervertebral disc space eight weeks before presentation. Cervical tracheoscopy demonstrated perforation of the dorsal tracheal membrane of the distal cervical trachea. Perforation of the dorsal tracheal membrane secondary to suture knot irritation was confirmed by exploratory surgery. Repair of the perforation was performed by plication of the dorsal tracheal membrane. The dog was represented nine days after the initial surgery with acute recurrence of subcutaneous emphysema. Air leakage at the plicated dorsal tracheal membrane was observed at exploratory surgery, and a bipedicle sternothyroideus muscle flap was used to support the plicated membrane. Recovery was uneventful and 10 months postoperatively there had been no recurrence of clinical signs.