Inadvertent placement of an esophagostomy tube into the mediastinum of a cat.

An 8-year-old neutered male Siberian forest cat was presented for respiratory distress. Endoscopy, exploratory surgery of the neck, and sternotomy confirmed initial placement of the esophagostomy tube (e-tube) into the mediastinum. The patient recovered from surgery, developed laryngeal paralysis, and then arrested and died within 48 h after surgery. Key clinical message: To the authors' knowledge, there are no other case reports documenting inadvertent placement of an e-tube into the mediastinum of a cat. This case report highlights the complications that can be associated with incorrect placement of an e-tube.