TDK conference 2017

A prospective study was conducted to evaluate the clinical feasibility of a simplified surgical protocol for patients with Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome (BAOS). Our hypothesis was that rhinotomy and folded flap palatoplasty (FFPP) may lead to not worse clinical outcome than a “complex” technique containing rhinoplasty, folded flap palatoplasty, tonsillectomy and the excision of everted laryngeal sacculi.

Seventeen patients (8 pugs, 6 French bulldogs, 1 English bulldog, 1 Boston terrier, 1 American bulldog) were selected for the clinical research at the Clinic of Surgery and Ophthalmology at the University of Veterinary Medicine between 2015 and 2017.

Patients’ clinical status was categorised according to Poncet formula (Grade I: mild, II: moderate, III: severe) preoperatively, then 2 and 6 weeks after surgery. At premedication laryngoscopy was used for staging laryngeal collapse, soft palate elongation and tonsillar enlargement from Grade I to III, respectively. Horizontal wedge resection was used for widening stenotic nares, and FFPP technique was used for the correction of elongated soft palate. With this „simplified” surgical technique we did not excise the everted laryngeal sacculi and did not perform tonsillectomy. Preoperatively we did not classify any dog as Grade I, we had 11 Grade II patients, and 6 Grade III dogs. Postoperatively we classified 14 as Grade I, 2 as Grade II, and we did not have any Grade III dogs, proving the potent positive effect of the simplified method on the clinical outcome of BAOS.