Complications of debarking surgery

Someone forwarded me a link to a recent news article about debarking. I noticed this article fails miserably in providing dog owners relevant information regarding this surgical procedure. The article only mentions the possibility of difficulty breathing as a result. Yes, this is a serious consequence and there many more. The medical term for debarking is vocal cord cordectomy. Here is a list of complications.

Risks of Vocal Cord Cordectomy (Debarking)

  • Compromised airway
  • Dysphagia (problems swallowing)
  • Adhesions
  • Formation of granulation tissue
  • Stenosis (hardening) of the windpipe
  • Infection
  • Cutaneous fistula (hole in the windpipe)
  • Bleeding
  • Aspiration pnuemonia
  • Gastrostomy tube dependence (relying on a feeding tube)
  • Tracheotomy dependence (relying on a breathing tube)
  • Death

References:

  • Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery, 4th ed., Cummings, (2005)
  • Management of Early-Stage Laryngeal Cancer, Nishant Agrawal, MDa, Patrick K. Ha, MD, Otolaryngol Clin N Am 41 (2008) 757–769
  • Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology (7th Edition), Editors: DeVita, Vincent T., Hellman, Samuel, Rosenberg, Steven A., (2005)