Síndrome do felino paraquedista 119 casos / Feline high rise syndrome: 119 cases

Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery

Volume 6, Issue 5, October 2004, Pages 305–312

Feline high-rise syndrome: 119 cases (1998–2001)

• D. Vnuk^a, , , 
• B. Pirkić^a, 
• D. Matičić^a, 
• B. Radišić^a, 
• M. Stejskal^a, 
• T. Babić^a, 
• M. Kreszinger^a, 
• N. Lemo^b

Abstract

High-rise syndrome was diagnosed in 119 cats over a 4-year period. 59.6% of cats were younger than one year, and the average height of the fall was four stories. High-rise syndrome was more frequent during the warmer period of the year. 96.5% of the presented cats, survived after the fall. 46.2% of cats had fractured limbs; 38.5% of fractures were of the forelimb, 61.5% of the hindlimb. The tibia was fractured most often (36.4%), followed by the femur (23.6%). 78.6% of femoral fractures were distal. The mean age of patients with femoral fractures was 9.1 months, and with tibial fractures 29.2 months. Thoracic trauma was diagnosed in 33.6% of cats. Pneumothorax was diagnosed in 20% of cats, and pulmonary contusions in 13.4%. Falls from the seventh or higher stories, are associated with more severe injuries and with a higher incidence of thoracic trauma.