Diaphragmatic esophageal cardioplasty in a puppy with congenital megaesophagus

Abstract

Megaesophagus is an esophageal dilatation resulting from a primary or secondary disease, causing a motor swallowing disorder. Of the various therapeutic procedures recommended, surgical treatment is an option, since it provides relief of clinical signs and improves nutritional status. However, challenges arise regarding the best surgical technique in animals with megaesophagus after previous conservative treatment. The present study aimed to describe the surgical technique called diaphragmatic esophageal cardioplasty in a dog with generalized congenital megaesophagus. In this report, a puppy was taken to the veterinary medical service due to increasingly frequent regurgitations. On contrast radiography, it was observed that the thoracic esophagus was markedly dilated, the image suggestive of generalized megaesophagus. Due to worsening of episodes of regurgitation and progressive weight loss after two weeks of conservative dietary treatment, it was decided to perform a diaphragmatic esophageal cardioplasty surgery. This technique consists in artificially reducing the paralysis of the final thoracic portion of the esophagus and the cardia through the contractile activity of the diaphragm during respiratory cycles. On the first follow-up, the owner reported that the bitch still regurgitated sporadically, but with a significant decrease in frequency.