The use of rigid endoscopy in the management of acute oropharyngeal stick injuries.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of rigid endoscopy in the management of oropharyngeal stick injuries. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of case records between 2011 and 2013 from a large referral hospital. Data regarding signalment, clinical presentation, treatment options and final outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Nine dogs were identified with acute oropharyngeal stick injuries. There were seven males and two females and the dogs were of various breeds, ages (1.5 to 9 years) and weights (11.9 to 38.4 kg). The time from injury to referral was between 1 and 3 days (median: 2 days). All dogs were anaesthetised and the tracts explored using a 30 degrees forward-oblique, 2.7-mm-diameter, 18-cm-length rigid endoscope with corresponding 14.5 Fr sheath. The endoscopy was performed under saline irrigation. Foreign material (>1 mm in size) was removed using grasping forceps fed through the sheath. Subsequently, the tracts were re-inspected and flushed with further saline to confirm that all foreign material had been removed. All dogs recovered uneventfully and had excellent outcomes with no cases representing with chronic manifestations of oropharyngeal stick injuries. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Rigid endoscopy is an effective method for the diagnosis, assessment and, in certain cases, treatment of acute oropharyngeal stick injuries in dogs.