Use of a customised 3D-printed external splint for the correction of a severe pectus excavatum in a 3-month-old kitten

Autor: Giovanni Mattioli, Matteo Zanfabro, Mattia Bonazzi, Marina Martano
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Open Veterinary Journal, Vol 12, Iss 1, Pp 148-155 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2226-4485
2218-6050
DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2022.v12.i1.18
Popis: Background: Pectus excavatum is a rare congenital or developmental deformity of the chest wall that has been reported in both dogs and cats. The clinical symptoms varies in severity and are correlated with the grade of the deformity. The most severe cases are at very high risk of intra- and post-operative complications that could be fatal. Case Description: A 3-months old kitten was presented for severe dyspnea and exercise intolerance. After the radiographic diagnosis of the severe pectus excavatum, a splint was designed based on the CT-scan of the kitten. A locking mechanism was applied on a dedicated pocket on the splint and secured with commercial glue. Five sutures were placed, the most caudal three with a surgical approach to the corresponding sternebra. The three caudal traction sutures were progressively tensioned during the first two weeks, and then tied. The splint was removed one month post-operatively; neither surgical nor splint-associated complications were observed. The kitten well tolerated the splint and the owner reported no further episodes of dyspnea or exercise intolerance. Vertebral and frontosagittal indexes were 3.2 and 9.1 at presentation, respectively, and 10.2 and 2.0 four months post-operatively. Conclusion: The use of a patient specific 3D-printed external splint associated with a progressive correction of the pectus excavatum can be a better solution for the treatment of severe cases of pectus excavatum, where a sudden distension of the rib cage could cause re-expansion injuries.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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