🔍 Key Findings
- Ala vestibuloplasty significantly reduced normalized pulmonary transit time (nPTT) (mean 5.43 → 3.89 sec; p <.001), suggesting improved cardiopulmonary function.
- Clinical respiratory signs improved, including reduced snoring, sneezing, nasal discharge, and open-mouth breathing (all p <.01).
- Activity tolerance increased, with less dyspnea during activity and longer time to onset of dyspnea (p <.005).
- Paradoxical sternal motion resolved in all affected cats after surgery.
- Hiatal hernias resolved in 75% of affected cats on follow-up CT.
- No serious complications occurred, with only mild, self-limiting epistaxis and hypersalivation in a few cases.
- Aberrant turbinates were detected on CT in all cats, though only 1 showed obstructive CATs endoscopically.
- Total clinical severity scores improved significantly postoperatively (median reduction of 30 points; p <.001).
