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Beyond Possible: Giving Possum Her Quality of Life Back
At VSOS, we are often presented with cases where the solution isn't immediately clear, and other hs have turned our clients away. For a young cat named Possum, the challenge was heartbreaking: she was slowly starving because she could no longer open her mouth.
Possum’s journey is a profound example of what happens when a team of specialists refuses to accept "impossible."
The Challenge: A Mystery Trauma and a Locked Jaw
Possum had sustained a jaw fracture from an unknown trauma earlier in the year. Initially, her fractures were managed conservatively without surgery. However, over time, a silent complication was developing: TMJ Ankylosis.
Ankylosis is a condition where extensive scar tissue forms around a joint, essentially fusing it in place. By the time Possum was referred to our Specialist Surgeon, Dr Rachel Basa, she could open her mouth no more than a few millimetres. She had lost a significant amount of weight and could only lap at liquid food.
A High-Stakes Multi-Disciplinary Effort
Treating Possum required more than just surgery; it required a collaborative leap of faith.
The first hurdle was the anaesthesia. To perform surgery safely, a patient must be intubated. However, because Possum’s jaw was locked, we couldn't see her airway. Medicine Specialist Dr Karina Graham and Specialist Anaesthetist Dr Ben Gingold performed a delicate, endoscopy-guided intubation, using a tiny camera to navigate the breathing tube into place while her jaw remained shut.
3D Printing and Surgical Precision
To ensure the best outcome, Dr Rachel utilised a 3D-printed model of Possum’s skull. This allowed the team to physically map out the radical surgery beforehand.
In the theatre, Dr Rachel was joined by veterinary dentist Dr Leah Skelsey and surgery resident Dr Roxanna Neo. Together, they performed a bilateral gap arthroplasty. This involved precisely cutting three bones on both sides of Possum’s jaw to remove the restrictive tissue and create a new, functional gap in the joint.
The Result: A Return to Feline Routines
The true measure of our work is seeing a patient return to their normal self. At her first follow-up, Possum had already gained 10% of her body weight.
Her family is over the moon to have her home. Possum is finally back to eating solid food and has reclaimed her normal feline routines. For the team at VSOS, Possum’s case is a reminder that when you combine specialist expertise with a refusal to give up, you really can go "Beyond Possible."
