Cervical vertebral canal endoscopy in the horse: intra- and post operative observations.

The research explored the effectiveness and safety of a procedure called cervical vertebral canal endoscopy (CVCE) for identifying spinal cord compression in horses. Six healthy horses underwent the procedure and all successfully recovered, leading to the conclusion that the technique can be utilized on healthy horses and could aid in diagnosing spinal conditions.

Background and Objective

• The researchers carried out this study due to the difficulty in identifying the specific location of spinal cord compression in horses with cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM) using conventional diagnostic imaging methods.
• The primary objective was to determine if cervical vertebral canal endoscopy (CVCE), a technique previously used in human medicine and on horse cadavers, is feasible and safe for use on healthy, mature horses.

Methods

• The study involved six mature horses that were in good health.
• Under anaesthesia, a flexible videoendoscope was inserted into the horses’ atlanto-occipital space, entering either the epidural space (for the first three horses) or the subarachnoid space (for the remaining horses).
• The scope was advanced to the 8th cervical nerve. Following the procedure, neurological examinations were conducted and, for those horses that had the endoscope inserted into the subarachnoid space, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was analyzed.

Results

• All six horses successfully underwent the procedure and recovered from the anaesthesia.
• The endoscope identified a variety of anatomical structures in both the epidural and subarachnoid spaces.
• During the procedure, an increase in mean arterial pressure was noted when repeated injections of electrolyte solution were administered into the epidural space.
• In one horse from the subarachnoid group, a complication occurred involving a subarachnoid hemorrhage and air, causing temporary postoperative ataxia and muscle fasciculations; however, no similar issues were observed in the other horses treated with this technique.
• Analysis of the CSF indicated a mild inflammation seven days post-operation, with values appearing normal again by the 21st day after surgery.

Conclusions

• The researchers concluded that endoscopic examination of the epidural and subarachnoid spaces in horses is feasible and can be safely performed.
• They proposed that the CVCE technique could allow for more accurate identification of the site of compression in horses diagnosed with CVSM, and potentially allow for diagnosis of other conditions within the cervical vertebral canal.