COMPARISON OF UNILATERAL ARYTENOID LATERALIZATION AND VENTRAL VENTRICULOCORDECTOMY FOR THE TREATMENT OF EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCED LARYNGEAL PARALYSIS IN DOGS

This study evaluated changes in respiratory function in dogs with expe rimentally induced laryngeal paralysis treated with either unilateral arytenoid lateralization or ventral ventriculocordectomy, and compared the effectiveness of these procedures. Evaluation consisted of clinic al assessment and tidal breathing flow volume loop and upper airway re sistance measurements. Carbon dioxide and doxapram hydrochloride were used as respiratory stimulants. Initially, all dogs improved clinicall y after corrective surgery. However. by the end of the study, laryngea l collapse had developed in 2 of 5 dogs corrected by ventral ventricul ocordectomy. No statistical differences in upper airway mechanics test ing were seen between the surgical procedures. With both groups combin ed, many measurements of upper airway obstruction improved after surgi cal correction. Based on this study, these surgical procedures yield c omparable results, although additional studies are needed to evaluate both the cause of laryngeal collapse and the role of upper airway mech anics testing in the evaluation of canine laryngeal paralysis.