Resolution of Megaesophagus after Excision of a Nasopharyngeal Polyp in an 8-month-old Cat

An 8-month-old female cat presented with a 1-month history of open-mouth breathing and intermittent regurgitation. Contrast radiography revealed megaesophagus (ME) with a large pharyngeal mass. The mass was removed by gentle traction under general anesthesia, after which the ME resolved within 9 days. The mass was diagnosed as a nasopharyngeal polyp based on clinical and histopathological findings. A similar polyp recurred 50 days postoperatively, and was also removed by traction followed by four treatments with methylprednisolone acetate. The cat remained asymptomatic for 9 months after the second surgery. This report demonstrates that ME resulting from a nasopharyngeal polyp may resolve spontaneously after polyp removal, but post-surgical glucocorticoid therapy may also be needed to decrease the chance of recurrence.