Epiglottopexy for the treatment of epiglottic retroversion in 2 horses.

This research article explores the use of an epiglottopexy technique to treat epiglottic retroversion, a condition that can cause performance issues, in two horses. The researchers found that after the treatment, both horses were able to return to their previous athletic capacities.

Introduction and Methods

• The paper starts with a statement of the problem being addressed, which is epiglottic retroversion (ER) in horses. ER is a condition where the epiglottis flips back towards the pharynx during exercise. This can cause decreased performance, make breathing more difficult, and cause abnormal sounds during exertion.
• This research was undertaken in the form of a case report on two subjects, a two-year-old Thoroughbred gelding and a six-year-old Standardbred gelding, both diagnosed with ER.
• The diagnosis was confirmed by an endoscopy examination while the horses were exercising, which is a common method for diagnosing respiratory disorders in horses.
• The researchers then performed the same epiglottopexy technique on both horses to treat the ER. Epiglottopexy is a surgical procedure that fixes the epiglottis to the surrounding tissue to prevent it from flipping backward.

Results

• The outcomes were promising: within one year after the surgery, both horses returned to their pre-surgery racing classifications.
• Further examination on one of the horses six months after the surgery confirmed the resolution of the ER, validating the success of the treatment.

Conclusions

• The study concludes that epiglottopexy should be deemed as a potential treatment for ER in racing horses.
• The authors note that prior surgical procedures for treating ER in horses have not resulted in horses regaining their previous athletic abilities, highlighting the advantage of the epiglottopexy technique used in this study.