title: Intermittent At-Home Suctioning of Esophageal Content for Prevention of Recurrent Aspiration Pneumonia in 4 Dogs with Megaesophagus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Megaesophagus carries a poor to guarded prognosis due to death from aspiration pneumonia. Options for medical management of regurgitation are limited to strategic oral or gastrostomy tube feeding.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the use and efficacy of intermittent esophageal suctioning to prevent regurgitation and associated episodes of aspiration pneumonia in dogs with megaesophagus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four dogs with acquired idiopathic megaesophagus and recurrent aspiration pneumonia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of medical records of dogs with megaesophagus in which intermittent suctioning of esophageal content was employed for management of recurrent aspiration pneumonia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intermittent suctioning of the esophagus was initiated in 4 dogs after failure of strict gastrostomy tube feeding failed to prevent regurgitation and repeated episodes of aspiration pneumonia. Suctioning was accomplished by esophagostomy tube in 3 dogs and per os in 1 dog. After initiation of esophageal suctioning, dogs survived for a median of 13.5 additional months (range, 10-30 months) during which time 2 dogs had no additional episodes of aspiration pneumonia and 2 dogs had infrequent episodes of pneumonia, but aspiration was suspected to be a contributing factor in their death. Complications included clogging of the esophagostomy tube, esophagostomy site infections, and esophagitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of intermittent esophageal suctioning in dogs with megaesophagus that continue to regurgitate despite gastrostomy tube feedings can reduce or abolish clinical episodes of aspiration pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Birkenheuer
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Briley
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Vanone
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. jody_gookin@ncsu.edu.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gookin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004285:Dogs; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D012008:Recurrence; D013396:Suction / Q000379:methods*; D016019:Survival Analysis
keywords: Esophagostomy; Regurgitation