CHAPTER VI. 



throat operations. 



Tracheotomy. 



DEFINITION. — Tracheotomy is surgical incision of the 

 trachea. In veterinary surgery its object is intubation of the 

 trachea to prevent an impending dyspnoea due to some tem- 

 porary or permanent obstruction to' the upper air passages. 



HISTORY. — Tracheotomy is as old as veterinary sur- 

 gery itself; mention of its performances is found in the very 

 oldest treatise on veterinary science. It is such a simple 

 operation, often very much needed to save life, and giving 

 such prompt relief to the distressed respirations of certain 

 obstructing diseases, that it has always been an inviting 

 procedure to the veterinary practitioner during all epochs. 

 A threatening phlegmon, an encroaching abscess or a tumor 

 that produced loud and labored breathing has always been 

 regarded sufficient justification for its performance, often, 

 however, without first having carefully considered the possi- 

 bility of palliating the condition by less radical, though slower 

 means. It is very evident, from information obtained in a 

 general way, that the operation has in the past been too fre- 

 quently resorted to, both for the relief of inflammatory ob- 

 structions of a temporary character and for permanent sten- 

 oses ; in view of the fact that very often a serious, incurable 

 obstruction of the trachea frequently follows its performance. 

 Today tracheotomy is rather reluctantly performed for per- 

 manent obstructions, and it is only resorted to in acute dis- 

 eases when there is sufficient evidence to indicate that a fatal 

 dyspnoea is otherwise inevitable. In short, the present day 

 veterinary practitioner weighs the indication more carefully, 

 knowing the great probability of causing a permanent ob- 

 struction by the operation that relieves the temporary one. 



INDICATIONS.— The indications for tracheotomy in 

 veterinary surgery may, for the sake of convenience, be di- 

 vided into two classes, namely: (i) Diseases' producing tem- 

 porary obstructions, and (2) Diseases causing stenoses of a 

 more or less permanent character. 



( 1 ) Diseases producing temporary obstruction of the up- 

 per air passages. Influenza (horse distemper) complicated by 

 abscess of the guttural or superior cervical lymphatic glands 



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