Position of the midline septum of the guttural pouches in horses subjected to computed tomography.

The research study examined the prevalence of a deviation in the midline septum of the guttural pouch in horses, and its possible association with guttural pouch disease. The study found that this deviation is quite common but doesn’t seem to have a clinical significance in relation to guttural pouch disease.

Research Objectives and Methodology

• The study aimed to establish the frequency of deviation in the midline septum of the guttural pouch in a single veterinary medical center. The midline septum of the guttural pouch is a potential dividing line within the pouch, which were identified through computed tomography (CT).
• In 95 horses, they performed a standing, sedated, head CT and guttural pouch endoscopy, recording any presence, direction, subjective degree, and angle of deviation in the midline septum.

Outcomes of the Research

• The study identified that of the total horses, 72.6% had a deviation in the midline septum of the guttural pouch. The average degree of deviation found was 13.4, while the maximum was 52.6.
• However, the deviation of the midline septum itself (with a p-value of 0.722) and its severity (with a p-value of 0.428) were not found to have a significant association with any endoscopic abnormality within the guttural pouch. A p-value greater than 0.05 typically indicates a statistically insignificant relationship.
• There was also no link found between the direction of the deviation and any abnormalities identified within the guttural pouch, with a p-value of 0.000, which would be considered statistically significant if in the context of an expected relationship.

Implication of Findings

• The researchers concluded that while the deviation of the midline septum is a frequent observation during a CT examination, it doesn’t seem to have a clinical importance in relation to guttural pouch abnormalities or disease.
• It’s crucial for veterinarians and horse owners to understand that a deviation in the midline septum of the guttural pouch is a common occurrence and does not necessarily correlate with pouch disease.