Buccal mucosal urethroplasty for treatment of recurrent hemospermia in a stallion.

The research revolves around the successful treatment of a persistent blood in semen condition in a horse using buccal mucosal urethroplasty. This surgical method may serve as a significant option for treating horses experiencing similar conditions that do not improve with merely abstaining from sexual activity.

Background

• The study involves an 11-year-old Quarter Horse stallion that had been experiencing intermittent hemospermia, a condition characterized by the presence of blood in semen, for a period of four years.

Initial Diagnosis

• Multiple episodes of hemospermia led to the endoscopic detection of a linear vertical defect on the caudodorsal convex surface of the horse’s urethra, specifically at the level of the ischial arch.

Initial Treatment Attempt

• Initially, the prescribed treatment was sexual rest, assuming it might lead to the healing of the urethral defect, but this approach did not lead to complete recovery.

Surgical Intervention

• Due to the inefficiency of sexual rest, a surgical procedure was performed. A subischial urethrotomy and buccal mucosal urethroplasty were carried out to treat the urethral defect.
• The site of the surgery healed without any complications, indicating the procedure was successful.

Post-surgery Recommendation

• Post the surgical treatment, a four-month sexual rest was suggested to allow complete healing of the surgical site.
• After this period, a repeat endoscopy was administered to inspect the urethral graft site, which confirmed that the surgery was successful and healing had indeed taken place.
• As a result, semen collection was resumed based on the satisfactory healing at the urethral defect site.

Conclusions

• Post the surgical repair, the condition of hemospermia did not recur, indicating the success of the buccal mucosal urethroplasty as a treatment method.
• The results imply that buccal mucosal urethroplasty can be a potentially effective surgical option to treat stallions that have hemospermia secondary to a urethral defect, especially when sexual rest does not contribute to recovery.