A Case of pseudo flail chest caused by thorax trauma in a cat

Abstract

The pathological condition that occurs, when at least two of the adjacent ribs are broken in mostly due to blunt traumas, is called "flail chest". The asynchronous movement of the damaged segment during respiration, inward during inspiration and outward during expiration, to the normal chest movement is called "paradoxical movement". Pseudo flail chest is defined as parodoxical movement in the thoracic wall during respiration with or without an accompanying rib fracture with laceration of the intercostal muscles. In this presentation, a case of pseudo flail chest, formed as a result of high rise fall and its treatment results in a cat were presented. The case is a 1.5 years old, intact, crossbred male cat which was referred to the Surgery Clinic of Istanbul University – Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Veterinary Medicine with a history of severe respiratory distress after a high rise fall. Physical examination revealed dyspnea, tachypnea, paradoxical movement at the level of the 7th, 8th and 9th ribs of the left thoracic wall, and subcutaneous crepitation on palpation. With the preliminary diagnosis of flail chest, lateral and ventrodorsal thorax radiographs were taken. It was found that the patient did not have any rib fracture and had subcutaneous emphysema in the ventral sternum. After the initial treatment, he was taken into operation. The lacerations in the costal and intercostal muscles were repaired, and the patient was discharged with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and oxygen therapy. Although there was no respiratory discomfort, pain was observed in palpation, in the 1st and 3rd weeks postoperative controls, It was observed that all negative findings disappeared completely in the 5th week postoperatively. As a result, the prognosis can be positive with the differential diagnosis of flail chest and pseudo flail chest cases besides good operative planning, and appropriate postoperative pain control.