title: Use of nitinol stents for end-stage tracheal collapse in dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report bronchoscopic placement of nitinol stents (Vet Stent-Trachea®) for improvement of end-stage clinical signs in dogs with tracheal collapse.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs (n = 18).
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records (January 1, 2004-October 31, 2008) were searched for dogs with a diagnosis of tracheal collapse; 18 dogs met inclusion criteria. Tracheal diameter was compared before and after stent deployment. Stent dimensions were compared after stent deployment and at radiographic follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference in the minimum tracheal diameter when initial and post deployment tracheal diameters were compared (P = .003). Stent length was significantly shorter at follow-up when compared to post deployment measurements (P = .004). Owner assessment of outcome was available for all dogs with 11.1% mortality within 60 days. Complications were documented in 9 dogs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of a nitinol stent (Vet Stent-Trachea®) in dogs with end-stage tracheal collapse is associated with a fair to good outcome despite significant temporal stent fore shortening after bronchoscopic placement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA. april_durant@yahoo.com
authors.forename: April M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Durant
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sura
authors.forename: Barton
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rohrbach
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Bohling
mesh_terms: D000497:Alloys; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents / Q000662:veterinary*; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000662:veterinary; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; C013616:nitinol