Successful management of an arytenoid chondrosarcoma in a dog

An eight-year-old Doberman pinscher was presented with a four-week history of inspiratory stridor, dysphonia, inappetence and weight loss. Inspiratory stridor was apparent and became more pronounced during gentle compression of the larynx. Previous investigations, including laryngoscopy, had revealed the presence of a left-sided arytenoid mass. Histological examination of pinch biopsies was not diagnostic. The mass was removed by resection of the arytenoid cartilage through a ventral laryngotomy allowing salvage of the cuneiform process. Histological examination of the laryngeal mass was consistent with a chondrosarcoma, grade I, infiltrating the arytenoid cartilage. Re-examination at 12 months showed complete resolution of the clinical signs and no signs of metastatic disease. To the authors' knowledge this is the first report of successful surgical intervention for laryngeal chondrosarcoma. This case demonstrates that resection via a ventral laryngotomy may be a viable and curative therapeutic option for some sarcomas of the larynx.