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. 2019 Jan;60(1):60-66.

Lung lobe torsion in 35 dogs and 4 cats

Kathryn L Benavides  1 , Elizabeth A Rozanski  1 , Trisha J Oura  1
Affiliations

Lung lobe torsion in 35 dogs and 4 cats

Kathryn L Benavides et al. Can Vet J. 2019 Jan.

Abstract
in English, French

The purpose of this study was to assess survival to discharge of animals with surgical or postmortem confirmation of a lung lobe torsion (LLT) as well as to evaluate pre-operative effusion, lung lobe affected, and patient size as prognostic indicators. Medical records search identified 35 dogs and 4 cats with a confirmed diagnosis including 17 small-breed dogs, 18 large-breed dogs, 3 domestic shorthair cats, and 1 minskin cat. Lobes affected included right middle (n = 18), left cranial (n = 18), right cranial (n = 2), left caudal (n = 1), and accessory (n = 1). Two animals died before surgery; the remaining 37 animals underwent thoracotomy. All treated small-breed dogs and cats survived; 12/18 large-breed dogs survived, with an overall survival to discharge of 87%. Pre-operative pleural effusion and affected lung lobe did not affect survival to discharge in this population. Small dogs and cats with LLT appear to have an excellent survival to discharge following thoracotomy and the survival is good in larger dogs.

Torsion de lobe pulmonaire chez 35 chiens et 4 chats. Le but de cette étude est d’évaluer le taux de survie jusqu’à la sortie d’hôpital, chez des animaux ayant eu confirmation chirurgicale ou post-mortem de torsion de lobe pulmonaire (TLP), ainsi que d’évaluer la présence d’épanchement pleural, le lobe pulmonaire affecté et la taille des patients en tant que facteurs pronostics. Les dossiers médicaux de 35 chiens et 4 chats avec un diagnostic de TLP confirmé furent identifiés, comprenant 17 chiens de petite race, 18 chiens de grande race, 3 chats Européens et 1 Minskin. Les lobes pulmonaires affectés étaient le lobe moyen droit (n = 18), le lobe cranial gauche (n = 18), le lobe cranial droit (n = 2), le lobe caudal gauche (n = 1) et le lobe accessoire (n = 1). Deux animaux décédèrent avant chirurgie, et une thoracotomie fut pratiquées chez les 37 animaux restant. Tous les chiens de petites races et les chats survécurent à leur chirurgie; 12/18 des chiens de grande race survécurent, et le taux de survie global était de 87 %. La présence d’épanchement pleural et le lobe pulmonaire affecté n’avaient pas d’influence sur la probabilité de survie dans cette population. Le taux de survie au congé hospitalier semble excellent chez les chiens de petite taille et les chats diagnostiqués avec une torsion de lobe pulmonaire et il est bon pour les chiens de grande taille.(Traduit par les auteurs).

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Left lateral radiograph showing torsion of the right middle lung lobe with abnormal positioning of the bronchus and vasculature (A), vesicular gas pattern (B), and moderate volume pleural effusion (C) as evidenced by the scalloping of the ventral lobe margins and retraction of the lobes from the thoracic wall and diaphragm.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Left lateral radiograph with air-trapping in the ventral aspect of a torsed right middle lung lobe creating a vesicular gas pattern (*) with complete consolidation of the lobe.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Transverse CT image demonstrating abrupt tapering of the right middle lobar bronchus (A) just distal to the origin with central vesicular gas pattern (B) and peripheral soft tissue attenuation.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Axial CT image demonstrating soft tissue attenuation of the left cranial lung lobe (*) with inability to trace the bronchi of the cranial and caudal segments.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Transverse CT image demonstrating increased soft tissue attenuation in the region of the right cranial and right middle lung lobes with vesicular gas pattern (*).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Bronchoscopic image with collapse and twisting of the left cranial bronchus (*) with inability to advance the scope further into the bronchus.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Affected lung lobes with number of animals affected in a population of 35 dogs and 4 cats with lung lobe torsion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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