Clinical experience utilizing a novel fluoroscopic technique for wire-guided esophagojejunal tube placement in the dog and cat: Twenty cases (2010-2013).

Carabetta, David J; Koenigshof, Amy M; Beal, Matthew W

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical use of a novel, minimally invasive technique for fluoroscopic wire-guided esophagojejunal tube (FEJT) placement in dogs and cats. DESIGN Retrospective study (February 2010-September 2013). SETTING University veterinary teaching hospital. ANIMALS Eighteen dogs and 2 cats with intolerance of, or contraindications to, gastric feeding that underwent attempted FEJT placement. INTERVENTIONS All patients underwent attempted FEJT placement using a novel fluoroscopic wire-guided technique. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Patient data were collected including information about the FEJT placement and utilization of the tube postplacement. The primary diagnosis in dogs undergoing FEJT placement was pancreatitis in 61% of cases. The ability to achieve postpyloric access with the technique was 95% (19/20). Mean duration of the procedure in dogs where FEJT placement was successful was 63.8 minutes (SD, 28.6; min-max, 30-120 min). Mean fluoroscopy time was 19.4 minutes (SD, 11.5; min-max, 5.2-42.1-min). Esophagostomy site infection was a complication of FEJT placement in 2 dogs. The mean duration the FEJT remained in place in dogs was 3.8 days (SD, 2.2; min-max, 1-7 days), and mean duration of feeding was 3.6 days (SD, 2.2; min-max, 1-7 days). Vomiting was noted in 89% of patients prior to FEJT placement and was significantly reduced to only 24% of patients postplacement (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS FEJT placement is a viable technique for providing postpyloric nutrition in dogs and cats intolerant of, or with contraindications to, gastric feeding.