title: Arytenoid lateralization for treatment of laryngeal paralysis in 10 cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the signalment, history, clinical signs, surgical technique, and outcome for cats with laryngeal paralysis that had arytenoid lateralization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cats with laryngeal paralysis (n=10).
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records (1996-2002) for cats with laryngeal paralysis that had arytenoid lateralization were reviewed for signalment, history, clinical signs, degree of paralysis, cause, concurrent medical conditions, surgical technique, and outcome. Follow-up information was obtained from owners or referring veterinarians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 10 cats, 9 had bilateral and 1 had unilateral laryngeal paralysis. Arytenoid lateralization were unilateral (n=7), bilateral (1), and staged bilateral procedures (2), 10 days and 3 years apart, respectively. Postoperatively, 1 cat had persistent inspiratory noise because of minimal enlargement of the rima glottidis and 2 cats required a temporary tracheostomy for management of laryngeal swelling. Three cats developed aspiration pneumonia and died 4, 7, and 150 days after surgery; all 3 had bilateral (simultaneous or staged) procedures. Of the 7 remaining cats, 4 were alive at follow-up and 3 had died of causes unrelated to arytenoid lateralization. The calculated mean survival time for all 10 cats was 406 days (median, 150 days; range, 4-1825 days).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arytenoid lateralization was effective at enlarging the rima glottidis and reducing signs of airway obstruction in most cats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unilateral arytenoid lateralization is a feasible option for the surgical management of cats with marked clinical signs; however, bilateral procedures should be avoided or at least performed with considerable caution because of the apparent risk for aspiration pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA. hardier@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hardie
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gunby
authors.forename: Dale E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bjorling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001193:Arytenoid Cartilage / Q000601:surgery*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*