DISTRIBUTION OF TOPICAL AGENTS IN THE FRONTAL SINUSES AND NASAL CAVITY OF DOGS - COMPARISON BETWEEN CURRENT PROTOCOLS FOR TREATMENT OF NASAL ASPERGILLOSIS AND A NEW NONINVASIVE TECHNIQUE

To document and compare patterns of distribution of topically applied antifungal medication, heads from 42 canine cadavers were assigned to seven treatment groups which included two current surgical treatment p rotocols for nasal aspergillosis, and a new, noninvasive method. Cathe ters (8 Fr) were placed through trephine holes into the frontal sinuse s and nasal cavity. Dilute dye was injected through the catheters and the heads were sectioned sagittally. The administration of 5 mL of dye into the lateral frontal sinus and nasal cavity (group IA, 10 mt tota l) was compared with 25 mL injected through catheters placed bilateral ly in the lateral frontal sinus and nasal cavity (group II, 100 mL tot al). Both were compared with the administration of 50 mt of dye throug h a catheter placed in the dorsal nasal meatus via each nostril (group III). The heads in group III had significantly (P <.05) better dye di stribution to all cavities than group IA and better distribution to th e rostral frontal sinus than group II. Groups IV to VI were designed t o show the pattern of distribution of dye to the contralateral nasal c avity and frontal sinuses. In all groups, dye injected into the latera l frontal sinus did not cross into the ipsilateral rostral frontal sin us or vice versa unless the transverse septum dividing the compartment s had been penetrated during trephination. (C) copyright 1995 by The A merican College of Veterinary Surgeons