Retrograde intubation in a dog with severe temporomandibular joint ankylosis: case report

Abstract Background Orotracheal intubation in dogs is a common and easily-performed procedure that provides a patent airway during anaesthesia. In dogs with temporomandibular joint ankylosis or pseudo-ankylosis, airway management can be a challenging procedure since these dogs have a limited ability...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Verónica Vieitez, Luis Javier Ezquerra, Víctor López Rámis, Massimo Santella, Ignacio Álvarez Gómez de Segura
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2018-03-01
Series:BMC Veterinary Research
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Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12917-018-1439-7
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Summary:Abstract Background Orotracheal intubation in dogs is a common and easily-performed procedure that provides a patent airway during anaesthesia. In dogs with temporomandibular joint ankylosis or pseudo-ankylosis, airway management can be a challenging procedure since these dogs have a limited ability to open their mouth. Methods to provide safe, uneventful intubation in such patients may include minimally invasive techniques such as retrograde intubation using a guide wire and fibre-optic-aided laryngoscopy. Case presentation We report a case of a 16-month-old, intact female Bull Terrier weighing 17 kg, admitted to the hospital for surgical treatment of bilateral ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint. Intubation was achieved, without direct observation of the larynx, by retrograde intubation using a vascular access catheter and a vascular wire guide through cricothyroid membrane. Bilateral condylectomy was performed and the dog recovered uneventfully. Conclusions In conclusion, retrograde intubation was relatively simple to perform with the guide wire technique and no specific training or equipment were necessary.
ISSN:1746-6148