Veterinary Surgery January 2026 – Soft Tissue Part 4: Tracheal Collapse Surgery & BOAS Palate Techniques

In this Simini Small Animal Surgery Podcast episode, we continue our soft tissue coverage from the January 2026 issue of Veterinary Surgery with two studies examining how surgical technique and airway anatomy influence outcomes in brachycephalic and upper airway disease.From advanced tracheal collapse repair to reassessing common palate surgery assumptions, these papers highlight how surgical decisions can shape long-term respiratory function in dogs.In this episode:✅ Suematsu et al. — Evaluated long-term outcomes in dogs with severe tracheal collapse treated using continuous extraluminal tracheal prostheses (CETP), including cases with W-shaped tracheal collapse, a less commonly discussed but more severe configuration. Dogs with this morphology were over 12 times more likely to require preoperative oxygen, yet the study reported a 90.9% survival rate at 36 months following surgery, demonstrating that carefully performed extraluminal prosthetic stabilization can provide durable outcomes even in severe cases. ✅ Timmermans et al. — A prospective study comparing folded flap palatoplasty (FFP) with standard staphylectomy (STS) in brachycephalic dogs using CT measurements three months after surgery. While both techniques improved clinical signs and exercise tolerance, CT analysis revealed that FFP did not consistently reduce soft palate thickness, with some dogs actually showing increased tissue thickness postoperatively. In contrast, traditional staphylectomy resulted in measurable thinning of the soft palate, challenging assumptions about the anatomic advantages of FFP. Small Animals Vet Surge 2026 Ja…Together, these studies reinforce an important theme: successful airway surgery requires understanding how anatomy, tissue healing, and surgical technique interact over time.🎓 Journal Articles DiscussedSuematsu et al. — Long-term outcomes of dogs with W-shaped or traditional tracheal collapse treated with a continuous extraluminal tracheal prosthesis: A retrospective studyTimmermans et al. — Evaluation of soft palate thickness in brachycephalic dogs 3 months after folded flap palatoplasty versus standard staphylectomy📚 From the January 2026 issue of Veterinary Surgery🎁 Want to learn more about Simini Protect Lavage or request a sample?Learn More: www.simini.comRequest a Sample:https://www.simini.com/evaluation-kit