title: Clinical effects of the use of a bipolar vessel sealing device for soft palate resection and tonsillectomy in dogs, with histological assessment of resected tonsillar tissue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether soft palate resection and tonsillectomy with a bipolar vessel sealing device (BVSD) improves clinical respiratory score. To document histopathological changes to tonsillar tissue following removal with a BVSD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Case series of 22 dogs with clinical signs of upper respiratory obstruction related to brachycephalic airway syndrome. Soft palate and tonsils were removed using a BVSD. Alarplasty and saccullectomy were also performed if indicated. A clinical respiratory score was assigned preoperatively, 24-h postoperatively and 5 weeks postoperatively. Excised tonsillar samples were measured and then assessed histologically for depth of tissue damage deemed to be caused by the device. Depth of tissue damage was compared between two power settings of the device. Soft palate resection and tonsillectomy with a BVSD lead to a significant improvement in respiratory scores following surgery. Depth of tissue damage was significantly less for power setting 1 compared with power setting 2. Using power setting 1, median calculated depth of tonsillar tissue damage was 3.4 mm (range 1.2-8.0). One dog experienced major complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Soft palate resection and tonsillectomy with a BVSD led to significant improvement in clinical respiratory score.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Specialist Services, Shop 14, Hometown, Cnr Logan and Lexington Roads, Underwood, Queensland, 4119, Australia. dcook@vss.net.au.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Specialist Services, Shop 14, Hometown, Cnr Logan and Lexington Roads, Underwood, Queensland, 4119, Australia.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.affiliation: Vepalabs, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Mackie
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D003398:Craniosynostoses / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000601:surgery; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013522:Surgery, Veterinary / Q000379:methods*; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: brachycephalic airway syndrome; dogs; small animal surgery; soft palate resection; tonsillectomy; upper respiratory obstruction