Neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet laser ventriculocordectomy in standing horses.

The research discusses developing a surgical technique involving a neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser for the removal of laryngeal ventricle and vocal cord in standing horses, and observing the healing process post-surgery.

Surgical Procedure

• Under endoscopic guidance, the laryngeal ventricle of the left side in six horses of ages between 2 to 32 years was everted using forceps and removed with an Nd:YAG laser. The laser was used at 60 watts of power in a noncontact method.
• After the ventricle’s removal, the vocal cord was also ablated using the laser.
• Post-surgery, the horses were examined endoscopically on day 2, 7, 14, 21, 30 and 47. One horse was euthanized on each of these days to facilitate further examination.

Observations and Findings

• Endoscopic examinations showed granulation tissue formation by the seventh day post-surgery, the start of epithelialization by the twenty-first day, and full healing by the forty-seventh day.
• At necropsy, it was found that four horses had a small amount of ventricular mucosa remaining dorsally, and one horse was observed to have developed a mucocele.
• The necropsied horses euthanized between the seventh and thirtieth day had granulation tissue, signifying the healing process, both visibly as well as in histological examination.
• Re-epithelialization, the process of renewing the epithelial tissue, started showing by day 14 histologically and was complete by day 47.

Conclusions

• In conclusion, the research suggests that ventriculocordectomy, the surgical removal of laryngeal ventricle and the vocal cord, can be safely performed in standing horses using an Nd:YAG laser.