Use of Dacron prosthesis in esophageal diverticula in a dog – a case report

Abstract

A one-and-a-half-year-old male dog of the Caniche breed was examined for repeated regurgitation episodes. At clinical examination food or liquid regurgitation episodes were reported at different times after food ingestion. The esophagus was visualized with the videoendoscope and then examined on liquid barium sulphate. The assessment revealed the existence of two cervically and mediastinally (intrathoracically) located dilatations. The surgical procedure was based on polyester vascular prostheses also used in human vascular surgery. The surgery was performed in two stages with a 4 week interval in between, without the resection of the dilated walls, with the prostheses positioned and fixed in different ways and with very good post surgery recovery. Eleven months after the surgery the dog’s health condition was very good. To our knowledge, this is the first report about these procedures which avoid the resection of a portion of the esophagus wall, thus preventing the occurrence of scars or strictures at this level, and prostheses increase the support and stability of the affected esophagus portion.