Rhinoscopy, pharyngoscopy, and laryngoscopy.

Rhinoscopy, pharyngoscopy, and laryngoscopy are important procedures to include in the workup of patients with upper airway disorders. They are simple to perform, yield important information, spare the patient from undergoing invasive rhinotomy, and improve client relations when a diagnosis is reached.

Complications and long-term results after partial laryngectomy for the treatment of idiopathic laryngeal paralysis in 45 dogs.

Forty-five dogs with severe respiratory signs caused by idiopathic, acquired laryngeal paralysis were treated by partial laryngectomy. The predominant postoperative complications were coughing in 28 dogs and pneumonia in 15 dogs. Eight dogs required a second operation to alleviate persistent or recurrent upper airway obstruction. Results of surgery were considered excellent in 11 dogs (25%), good in 18 dogs (40%), fair in 6 dogs (13%), and poor in 10 dogs (22%). Poorer results were obtained by surgical residents than by more experienced surgeons. Death in the immediate postoperative period was related to pneumonia (8 dogs) and laryngeal collapse (1 dog). Nine dogs died later of respiratory disease. Although partial laryngectomy is effective for the treatment of laryngeal paralysis, it is not recommended because of the high incidence of postoperative complications.

Pleural effusions and diseases of the pleura.

There are four factors that govern fluid movement to or from the pleural space: hydrostatic pressure, colloid osmotic pressure, filtration coefficient, and lymphatic function. When any of these factors are altered, fluid accumulates within the pleural space. Congestive heart failure, pancreatitis, neoplasia, hypoalbuminemia, and pulmonary thromboembolism can evoke pleural effusions by altering normal fluid transport mechanisms. This approach to pleural effusion helps to explain fluid accumulation. Chylothorax, hemothorax, and empyema are also covered in the article.

Alveolar lavage in dogs.

Alveolar lavage was performed in 10 healthy dogs. After tracheal intubation was done, a sterile fiberoptic bronchoscope was wedged in a distant bronchus and the lungs were lavaged with sterile saline solution. An average of 140 ml of saline solution was flushed into the lungs of each dog, and an average of 79% of the solution was recovered. Examination of the recovered fluid revealed average total cell counts of 6.4 X 10(6) cells/dog. Average differential cell counts were as follows: macrophages, 50.5%; lymphocytes, 46.0%; and neutrophils, 3.5%. Results of bacterial culture of the recovered fluid were negative in 8 dogs and positive in 2; Bordetella bronchiseptica was isolated in 1 dog and Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated in the other.