Page 99 - BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Head, Neck and Thoracic Surgery, 2nd Edition

eline Head,
Neck and
V
A Manual of Canine and F
Thoracic Surger
BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Head, Neck and Thoracic Surgery
y
BSA
OPERATIVE TECHNIQUE 6.2
VetBooks.ir Staphylectomy (soft palate resection)

PATIENT POSITIONING

The dog is positioned in sternal recumbency for soft palate resection. A bar
is placed over the front of the surgery table to which the upper jaw is
suspended by placing gauze, tape or bandage material around the maxillary
canine teeth. The lower jaw is attached to the surgery table as well, to
achieve adequate exposure of the throat. A swab is placed deep in the
laryngopharynx, just past the free edge of the soft palate, to aid in ventral
deflection of the endotracheal tube.

ASSISTANT
Optional.
SURGICAL TECHNIQUE

Approach
An oral approach is used, which allows sufficient exposure of the soft palate
in most dogs. In a dog with a very narrow pharynx or thick tongue, an
assistant may be needed to deflect the tongue more ventrally as well as
pulling the tongue out as needed to gain adequate exposure.

Surgical manipulations
1 An Allis tissue forceps is placed on the caudal edge of the soft palate
on the midline and used to retract the palate rostrally.

2 To mark the proposed lateral levels of soft palate resection, the free caudolateral edges of the palate are tagged
with two stay sutures, applying only a minimal amount of rostral retraction to the tongue.

3 The soft palate is then resected in a wide arch shape, making sure that more tissue is removed medially than
laterally. The highest point of the arch can be level with the mid- to rostral one-third of the tonsils. Resection is
performed with scissors.

The incision is started laterally. Half of the palate has been cut with scissors. Completed resection of the soft
palate; minimal blood loss is visible.

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