title: Use of silicone tracheal stoma stents for temporary tracheostomy in dogs with upper airway obstruction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the use of silicone tracheal stoma stents for temporary tracheostomy in dogs with upper airway obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of medical records for dogs in which silicone tracheal stoma stents were placed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen dogs had a silicone tracheal stoma stent placed for maintenance of a tracheostomy stoma for periods ranging from three hours to eight months. No intra-operative or immediate postoperative complications were recorded. In 11 dogs the stent was removed by simple traction after a period ranging from 36 hours to 6 weeks, and the tracheal stoma was left to heal by second intention. Five of the 18 dogs were determined as being tracheostomy dependent and underwent conversion to permanent tracheostomy after a period ranging from five days to eight months following stent placement. One dog was euthanased after three months, with the stent still in place, because of poor respiratory function, and one dog died of unrelated reasons. In 6 of 10 dogs (60%) where the stent was in place for five days or more, granulation tissue formation caused dislodgement of the stent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Silicone tracheal stoma stents may be used as an alternative to conventional tracheostomy tubes in selected dogs with upper airway obstruction. Long-term use of the stent beyond five days is not recommended because of granulation tissue formation. The long-term consequences of partial tracheal ring resection are unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Dick White Referrals, Six Mile Bottom, Newmarket, CB8 0UH.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Trinterud
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nelissen
authors.forename: R A S
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012828:Silicones; D015607:Stents / Q000662:veterinary*; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D012828:Silicones