Total laryngectomy in a cat with a laryngeal peripheral nerve sheath tumor

OBJECTIVETo report the surgical technique and outcome of total laryngectomy in a single clinical case. STUDY DESIGNCase report. ANIMALA 5-year-old female spayed domestic shorthair cat. METHODSA cat presented for acute, severe respiratory distress caused by an invasive laryngeal mass. Incisional biopsy was indicative of sarcoma. Computed tomography of head, neck, and thorax was performed revealing no evidence of metastasis. A total laryngectomy and permanent tracheostomy were performed, and the cat could breathe without difficulties immediately postoperatively. Histopathology confirmed a laryngeal low-grade peripheral nerve sheath tumor (PNST). RESULTSSurgical margins were free of tumor cells. Surgical revision of the tracheostomy stoma due to obstructive granulation tissue was necessary 24 days after the initial surgery. Nine days after revision surgery, the cat was discharged from the hospital. No evidence of local recurrence or metastasis was detected on repeat computed tomography of the head, neck, and thorax at 6 months, nor on chest radiographs at 12 months postoperatively. At the time of writing (13 months postoperatively), the cat is still alive with a good quality of life. CONCLUSIONTotal laryngectomy with permanent tracheostomy allowed the complete removal of an obstructive laryngeal PNST and provided a good quality of life in a cat. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCETo the authors' knowledge, this case report represents the first detailed description of the surgical procedure and clinical outcome for a total laryngectomy in a cat.