Survival after surgery for tracheal collapse and the effect of intrathoracic collapse on survival.
OBJECTIVE
To determine (1) long-term survival of dogs with tracheal collapse (TC) receiving cervical extraluminal prosthetic rings (ELR) and (2) whether intrathoracic collapse effects long-term survival of dogs receiving ELR.


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


METHODS
Dogs (n = 33) with TC that had ELR.


METHODS
Medical records (July 2002-July 2008) were searched for TC dogs treated with ELR. Age, breed, gender, location of TC, and age at follow-up (death or censor) were recorded. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated.


RESULTS
Of 114 TC dogs, 33 had ELR. Breeds and gender were consistent with previous reports; mean (±SD) age at presentation was 6.3±2.6 years. TC was categorized as cervical or cervical and intrathoracic. All dogs had cervical TC and 15 had concurrent intrathoracic collapse; 8 of these had collapse of mainstem bronchi. Median survival time was >2500 days (median not reached) for cervical TC alone and 1500 days for cervical and intrathoracic TC with no difference in median survival time between groups (P = .26).


CONCLUSIONS
Dogs with TC have a median survival time of 1680 days (4.6 years) after ELR and no differences were seen when dogs had intrathoracic collapse. Intrathoracic collapse does not exclude a dog from receiving ELR.
Department of Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Graton, MA, USA. willem.becker@tufts.edu
Willem M
WM
Becker
Matthew
M
Beal
Bryden J
BJ
Stanley
Joe G
JG
Hauptman
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents / Q000662:veterinary; D014132:Trachea / Q000473:pathology; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome