Scientific Title: Prospective, Long-Term Evaluation of Esophageal Function and Clinical Outcome Following Surgical Treatment of Vascular Ring Anomalies (VRA) in Dogs
Study Investigator: Dr. Ameet Singh
What is a Vascular Ring Anomaly?
- Vascular ring anomalies (VRA) are caused by birth defects and are an increasingly common cause of swallowing abnormalities in dogs.
- The most common type of VRA is constriction of the esophagus which causes difficulty when eating food.
- Most often, VRAs are diagnosed when puppies are transitioned to solid food.
- Early surgical treatment of VRA is recommended to alleviate the clinical signs and prevent long-term abnormalities to the neuromuscular function of the esophagus
Purpose of the Clinical Study
Standard of care surgical treatment for VRA involves an open-chest surgery with division of the vascular ring tissue that is causing compression of the esophagus. Recently, minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques have also been described for the treatment of VRA and these avoid the need for open-chest procedures, instead small incisions are made into the chest and a camera and specialized surgical instruments inserted.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate long term outcomes in dogs with VRA treated with either open or MIS, specifically looking at their clinical outcome and esophageal function.
Is Your Pet Eligible?
Dogs with a vascular ring anomaly and interested in pursuing CT and surgery will be eligible for this study.
Exclusion Criteria: Dogs with a diffusely enlarged esophagus or esophageal disease unrelated to a vascular ring anomaly will not be eligible to participate in this study.
Visits / Samples Required
- After consultation with the OVC Internal Medicine and/or Surgery service, your dog will have a routine computed tomography (CT) scan.
In addition, a pre-operative video-fluoroscopic esophageal swallowing study will also be performed. The swallowing study involves giving your dog a liquid food and monitoring the movement through its throat while standing. There is no sedation involved for the swallowing study.
Both of these procedures are routine for dogs diagnosed with VRA and planning to undergo surgery. - Your dog will have surgery within 2-4 weeks. At the surgery appointment, you will be asked to complete a short study questionnaire about your dog.
Surgery will be performed using either open or minimally invasive technique, the choice will depend on various factors at the time of diagnosis. The goal of the surgical procedure will be to divide the vascular ring tissue that is causing esophageal compression. - Following surgery, your dog will recover in ICU under careful monitoring and be discharged to your care ~48 hours later. Postoperative care instructions and any necessary medications will be provided to you by your dog’s clinician.
- Approximately 6 months following surgery, your dog will need to return to OVC for a recheck appointment and repeat swallowing study. At this time, we also ask you to complete a study questionnaire about your pet and its recovery post-surgery.
Financial Incentives
The costs associated with the esophagoscopy (specialized camera assessment during surgery) and 6 months post-surgery swallowing study will be covered.
This study is generously funded by OVC Pet Trust, the Lulu Clubb Fund and the Crusoe Fund.
