A 1.5-year-old, 4.36-kg male domestic cat was referred for evaluation of a chronic palatal defect. The cat exhibited persistent purulent nasal discharge, although he remained able to eat and drink. Medical therapy had proven ineffective. Examination revealed oronasal fistula at the junction of the hard and soft palate, with food particles visible in the nostrils and bilateral purulent nasal discharge. The defect stemmed from a congenital cleft of the hard palate and had undergone multiple unsuccessful surgical interventions to date. The palatine rugae were significantly diminished. Upon evaluation, it was determined that further surgical attempts would likely not benefit the cat. Therefore, an alternative approach was pursued, involving the fabrication of a custom obturator. A vinyl polysiloxane impression of the fistula was digitized into a 3D stereolithography (.stl) file, enabling the design and production of a custom obturator using computer-aided design (CAD) software and 3D printing technology. We custom-designed an obturator to fit the shape of the fistula and used 3D printing to create a mold for casting it in biocompatible silicone.
The silicone obturator was then placed under anesthesia and successfully sealed the defect.
The cat exhibited rapid improvement in clinical symptoms following the procedure, with a gradual reduction in purulent nasal discharge and a steady improvement in quality of life. Follow-up evaluations were conducted every three months, and at the six-month assessment,
the obturator was replaced with a newly fabricated device.