Stent reconstruction of an injured parotid duct in a thoroughbred colt.

OBJECTIVE

To report successful use of stent repair for a chronically injured parotid duct in a thoroughbred colt.

STUDY

DESIGN

Clinical report.

ANIMAL: A 2-year-old thoroughbred colt.

METHODS

Chronic injury to the parotid duct was identified 4-cm caudal to the facial vessel notch on the ventral border of the right mandible. After careful surgical dissection of the surrounding firm fibrous tissue, the defect was temporarily stented using an 8-Fr human ureteral catheter (223600 ERU(®) SOFT URETERAL(®) , Laboratoires pharmaceutique, Betschdorf, France) to bridge the tissue loss. The rostral end of the catheter exited the oral cavity through a buccotomy stab incision at the level of the second premolar tooth of the maxilla.

RESULTS

Primary wound healing occurred and the stent was maintained for 5 weeks with saliva drainage visible when the colt was fed. After stent removal, function was restored with good cosmesis.

CONCLUSIONS

A tissue defect in the parotid duct can be repaired successfully by temporary use of a stent until wound healing occurs.