Intrathoracic Tracheal Rupture

Abstract

This paper reports five new cases of intrathoracic tracheal rupture in cats, and summarizes these cases in conjunction with 11 cases from the literature. Most cats had no obvious respiratory signs at the time of injury, and in half of them the tracheal rupture was the only injury. The interval from trauma to onset of dyspnoea ranged from 1 to 28 days (median 12.5 days). Radiographic findings include loss of continuity of the trachea, often with a gas-filled diverticulum present between separated tracheal rings. With careful attention to surgical technique and anaesthetic management the prognosis for these cats is excellent. All eight of the cats reported in the last 14 years having surgical correction survived and returned to normal. The surgical anatomy, approach and tracheal anastomosis technique is described and recommendations for anaesthetic management are made.