16 Mar 2023
Sheffield-based company has unveiled a new surgical stand, which it believes will make brachycephalic surgery easier for vets and dogs.
Allister Webb
Job Title
The Mouth Gag Surgical Stand has been created in response to the rapid growth in ownership of brachycephalic breeds.
A South Yorkshire company has unveiled a new device it believes will make surgery on brachycephalic dogs easier for both vets and their patients.
Veterinary Instrumentation has been working with a leading soft tissue surgeon on the BOAS Mouth Gag Surgical Stand for the past three years, in response to the rapid growth in ownership of such breeds.
Based on the design of devices used to aid dental treatment in rabbits and rodents, bosses said there has already been significant interest after a prototype was displayed at the London Vet Show last November.
With the Sheffield-based company estimating that 60% of UK vets are now routinely performing BOAS surgery, they believe the stand represents a significant step forward.
Linda Capewell, the company’s vet tech director, said: “With good surgical access and fast repositioning, this stand will help reduce anaesthesia time and reduce pressure on the airway caused by raising the head, which in these BOAS-affected dogs can be critical, as these are high risk cases.”
The device is designed to hold the dog at an angle that both improves visibility and holds its mouth open to enable the vet to access the soft palate, while protecting both the neck and airway from potential stress.
The stand is said to have performed “exceptionally well” in testing and the company also claims it can save time for veterinary teams both during and ahead of surgery.
Mrs Capewell said: “The stand allows for quick adjustment of the vertical bars holding the mouth open, and position of the dog with a pivoting ramp.
“These features make it possible to perform and switch between nostril surgery and access to the palate/larynx.
“Specific design features, such as the adjustable hooks to hold the anaesthetic circuit out of the way [or] the cleat hook for tying the tongue out of the way if desired – all these things make the device a significant improvement on the homemade ‘cobbled together’ device that a vet might currently be using.
“We know that it works exceptionally well due to the endorsement of the surgeons who helped develop and test it.”
Mrs Capewell added: “Initial interest from pre-market research showed that a stand like this would be very impactful to vets as well as nurses, who currently stand and hold equipment to keep the dog in position for up to 60 minutes. A purpose-built stand improves accuracy during surgery.
“A prototype shown at LVS last year attracted a lot of interest, leading to pre-orders before we had the first batch to launch.”
More information is available via the Veterinary Instrumentation website.
