Surgical extraction of canine oesophageal foreign bodies through a gastrotomy approach: 12 cases

ObjectiveTo describe a gastrotomy approach to remove foreign bodies located in the caudal oesophagus. Materials and MethodsRetrospective examination of case records of dogs with surgical management of foreign body located in the caudal oesophagus. ResultsTwelve dogs with caudal oesophageal foreign body were managed surgically after unsuccessful endoscopic approaches. The foreign body was successfully extracted via gastrotomy in all 12 cases. Ten dogs recovered well without any postoperative complications but one dog died during the immediate postoperative period and one during hospitalisation. Clinical RelevanceCaudal oesophageal foreign body extraction by gastrotomy is a possible alternative to transthoracic oesophagotomy. Based on the small population presented here this approach performed through a laparotomy appears easy, with a low rate of perioperative and postoperative complications.