Thoracic oesophageal obstruction complicated by an oesophagopulmonary fistula in a dog

Abstract

A five-year-old, female English Pointer was presented with a one week history of sudden onset of regurgitation immediately after eating. Radiography diagnosed thoracic oesophageal obstruction, and contrast radiography determined the boundary of the foreign body and the partially open oesophageal passage. An intercostal thoracotomy was performed on the seventh intercostal space and a foreign body, which consisted of a deformed vertebra, was removed by oesophagotomy. After removing the foreign body, an oesophagopulmonary fistula, which resulted from foreign body penetration, was evident between the right oesophageal wall and the accessory lung lobe. It was then removed and, post-operatively, the dog was fed with a nasogastric tube and antibiotics were administrated. Lung expansion was aided by the use of a Heimlich flutter valve connected to a thoracostomy tube. The dog was clinically normal on follow up re-examination four weeks after surgery.