Ventral Bulla Osteotomy Flashcards
What is a ventral bulla osteotomy
A polyp is an abnormal tissue growth and the cause is unknown. Some studies suggest that cats develop them because of a reaction to infectious agents such as respiratory viruses.
When is this procedure performed?
when the disease mainly affects the middle ear.
Patient Prep - clip
The clipped area should extend from the rostral mandible to the level of the mid cervical trachea and the skin should be prepared aseptically.
Patient Positioning
The patient is placed in dorsal recumbency with the head as straight as possible.
What is the surgical procedure?
An incision is made through the ventral aspect of the pharynx. The bulla is exposed and opened. If no polyp is seen, then the bulla lining is removed and flushed with sterile saline. If a polyp or neoplasm is visualised, this is removed. Often these samples are placed in formalin and sent to the laboratory for histology; a bacterial culture may also be taken. An active suction drain is commonly left in place.
Instruments
A general surgical kit will be required as well as the following advanced instruments: Gelpies, Intramedullary Pins or Drill Burr, Jacobs Chuck or Power Drill, Rongeurs and a small Curette.
Post op concerns
There is an 80% reoccurrence rate of polyps after removal in cats and 80% of cats develop Horner’s syndrome after the polyp has been removed. This is due to the inflammation of the facial nerves, and usually resolves in weeks to months.
