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Frontal Sinus Trephination and Repeated Irrigation in a Cat with Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Case Report
1
VIP Animal Medical Center (Cheongdam), Seoul 06068, Republic of Korea
2
College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2025, 15(10), 1382; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15101382 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 29 March 2025
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Revised: 7 May 2025
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Accepted: 8 May 2025
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Published: 10 May 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Companion Animals)
Simple Summary
Chronic rhinosinusitis is a challenging condition in cats, and is often resistant to traditional therapies. This report describes a case in which a cat underwent frontal sinus surgery and repeated flushing for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis, leading to a significant improvement in symptoms for two years. This case highlights that surgery may be an important treatment option for chronic rhinosinusitis when typical treatments are ineffective, thus improving the quality-of-life of cats.
Abstract
A 2-year-old neutered female domestic shorthair cat presented with chronic, progressively worsening upper respiratory symptoms that were unresponsive to long-term medical treatment. Initial management involved antibiotics, antivirals, and anti-inflammatory drugs, all of which failed to provide substantial clinical improvement. Diagnostic imaging with computed tomography revealed bilateral nasal and frontal sinus obstructions with viscous inflammatory exudate and localized osteolytic changes in the patient. Despite adjustments to the antimicrobial therapy regimen based on the PCR results, clinical signs persisted. Surgical intervention through frontal sinus trephination, physical removal of the exudate, placement of a temporary drainage tube, and repeated irrigation successfully resolved most of the clinical symptoms. Follow-up over two years showed sustained clinical improvement, with only mild intermittent serous nasal discharge reported. This case highlights the efficacy of surgical management, specifically frontal sinus trephination and repeated irrigation, in the treatment of cats with refractory chronic rhinosinusitis.
Keywords:
cat; chronic rhinosinusitis; frontal sinus; rhinitis; trephination
