The purpose of this study was to compare easiness of application of polypropylene external total ring prosthesis (PPTRP, Group A) with that of polyvinylchloride external total ring prosthesis (PVCTRP, Group B), which were used for surgical correction of tracheal collapse in dogs. PPTRP was made from 3 ml syringe and PVCTRP from the drip chamber of intravenous administration set. Prostheses of group A (n=5) and B (n=5) were placed to cervical trachea in clinically normal 10 dogs, respectively weighing between 4 kg and 6 kg. There were mild coughing and swelling in one to three dogs of both groups for 3 days after surgery.

Tracheal collapse is generally a syndrome of small-breed dogs that is occasionally reported in larger breeds or other species. It is characterized by weakening and loss of adequately support dynamic intraluminal pressure changes. The diagnosis bases on the clinical signs and in the exams of ray-x, fluoroscopy, ultrasonography and tracheobronchoscopy. Forty adult small dogs of different breeds, twenty health and twenty with suspicion of that tracheal collapse. They had the cervical and thoracic areas x-rayed in lateral projections with and without ventral compression of the trachea. The light pressure in the cervical trachea was accomplished in the thoracic inlet with a "eraser pear" adapted in a glass stem during the radiographic examination. The twenty animals without abnormalities of the airways presented subtle changes in the diameter traqueal independent or not of the compression. The suspicious dogs of collapse presented or no narrowing of this organ depending on the breathing phase in that they were during the radiographic projection not allowing definitive diagnosis. However when all animals of this group were submitted to the technique of compression of the trachea they presented local narrowing of this organ characterizing tracheal collapse. The method was shown efficient, practical and safe in the diagnosis of cervical tracheal collapse. Besides to eliminate the need of x-rays in different moments of the breathing cycle and not to represent additional costs. | O colapso de traquéia é uma afecção freqüente em cães idosos e principalmente de raças pequenas, caracterizada por flacidez e perda de sustentação dos anéis traqueais com conseqüente diminuição do espaço luminal. O diagnóstico baseia-se nos sinais clínicos e nos exames de raios-x, fluoroscopia, ultra-sonografia e traqueobroncoscopia. Quarenta cães adultos de pequeno porte e de diferentes raças, vinte hígidos e vinte com suspeita dessa afecção, tiveram as regiões cervical e torácica radiografadas em projeções laterais com e sem compressão ventral da traquéia. A leve pressão exercida sobre a traquéia cervical foi realizada na entrada do tórax, com o auxílio de uma "pêra de borracha" adaptada a uma haste de vidro. Independente da aplicação ou não da compressão, os vinte animais sem anormalidades das vias respiratórias tiveram mudanças sutis no diâmetro traqueal. Os cães com suspeita clínica de colapso de traquéia apresentaram ou não estreitamento deste órgão, dependendo da fase respiratória em que se encontravam durante a projeção radiográfica simples, não permitindo, muitas vezes, o diagnóstico definitivo. Todavia, todos os animais deste grupo, quando submetidos à técnica de compressão da traquéia apresentaram, ao raio-x, estreitamento local deste órgão, caracterizando o colapso de traquéia. O método mostrou-se eficiente, prático e seguro no diagnóstico do colapso de traquéia da região cervical, eliminando a necessidade de exposições radiográficas em diferentes momentos do ciclo respiratório, sem custos adicionais.