Emergency Tracheal Resection and Anastomosis for Life-Threatening Intratracheal B-Cell Lymphoma in a Cat: A Case Report

Abstract

Intratracheal lymphoma is an uncommon cause of tracheal obstruction in cats. A 10-year-old spayed female Korean Shorthair cat was referred after 1 year of progressive respiratory signs and presented in lateral recumbency with open-mouth breathing and stridor. Non-contrast whole-body computed tomography (CT) without general anesthesia showed a 15.99 × 8.81 × 7.05 mm intraluminal mass in the cervical trachea that reduced luminal cross-sectional area by 87%; no other mass lesion was identified in the scanned field. Hematocrit and total thyroxine were within reference intervals, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide was mildly elevated. As respiratory effort persisted despite overnight oxygen, four tracheal rings were resected with end-to-end anastomosis the next day using cross-field ventilation through a temporary tracheotomy. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry identified a PAX5-positive B-cell lymphoma with clear but narrow margins. Postoperative feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus tests were negative. Two CHOP-based cycles were given. Systemic staging was incomplete and follow-up imaging was limited to 6.5 months, when CT showed no recurrence in the field examined. Tracheal lymphoma should be considered in cats with an obstructing tracheal mass; emergency resection relieved the obstruction here, but one case cannot define the optimal treatment sequence.