Treatment of nasopharyngeal stenosis using silicone thoracic catheter stents in 2 dogs.

Nasopharyngeal stenosis (NPS) is an important cause of chronic nasal discharge, stertor, and upper airway obstruction in dogs and cats. Treatment of NPS can be challenging and expensive and is associated with high recurrence and complication rates. Traditional treatment recommendations include balloon dilation of the stenotic tissue followed by placement of a covered, removable stent marketed for the treatment of NPS. However, these stents are costly, require technical expertise to place, and are available in limited sizes. This report describes a novel approach to treat NPS in 2 dogs using a piece of a silicone thoracic catheter cut to size for each dog as a removable stent. Both silicone stents were well tolerated and provided long-term resolution of clinical signs after removal. Major complications for 1 dog included movement of the stent rostrally with early restenosis after the suture securing the stent was accidentally pulled. Silicone thoracic catheters should be considered cost-effective options for the treatment of NPS in dogs. Key clinical message: This case report describes the successful use of a novel, removable silicone thoracic catheter to treat NPS in 2 dogs.