Neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser-assisted excision of progressive ethmoid hematomas in horses: 20 cases (1986-1996).

This research explores a technique using a neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser to remove progressive ethmoid hematoma (PEH) in horses, aiming to determine the rate at which the clinical signs of PEH reoccur in these animals over a minimum period of 12 months. The study suggests that this method has a recurrence rate similar to that of conventional techniques, with horses suffering from bilateral lesions more likely to encounter recurrence of PEH.

Methodology

• The study was a retrospective one, analyzing the medical records of 21 horses with 26 instances of PEH between December 1986 and August 1996.
• All horses analyzed were treated using an Nd:YAG laser excision technique. This involved either a unilateral (18 surgeries) or bilateral (14) frontonasal bone flap with the excision of the mass.
• The researchers examined one exceptional case carefully, where a horse suffering from bilateral PEH underwent a unilateral bone flap twice, with the procedures being executed a year apart.

Results

• One horse passed away during the course of the study.
• From the 20 remaining horses, which had follow-up times of 12 months or longer, four had a recurrence of PEH, resulting in an overall recurrence rate of 20% (5 out of 25 instances of PEH).
• Interestingly, among the horses with bilateral lesions, half of them had reoccurring PEH. This indicated that the recurrence rate for horses with bilateral PEH (3 out of 6 horses) was higher than that for horses with unilateral PEH (1 out of 14 horses).

Conclusion

• The use of the Nd:YAG laser-assisted technique in the treatment of PEH through a frontonasal bone flap yields a comparable recurrence rate with other traditional techniques.
• Horses diagnosed with bilateral lesions showed a greater likelihood of a return of PEH.