Right atrial and right ventricular ultrasound-guided biopsy technique in standing horses.

The research study is focused on describing a technique for obtaining heart tissue samples from the right atrium and right ventricle, in standing horses, via the jugular vein for diagnosing heart diseases, using ultrasound guidance; and it revealed that the technique was successful without serious complications except temporary arrhythmias.

Objective

The objective of the research is to propose and test a diagnostic method for equine myocardial diseases that are generally overlooked due to limitations in available diagnostic approaches. The method involves conducting endomyocardial biopsies on the right atrial and ventricular regions of standing horses using a percutaneous approach through the jugular vein.

Methodology

• A biopsy procedure was carried out on 10 healthy standing horses that were sedated using detomidine, under constant electrocardiography monitoring.
• Different sizes (10 cm, 45 cm, or 98 cm) of introducer sheath were inserted into the right jugular vein of the horses.
• A biopsy forceps, guided by echocardiographic monitoring, was introduced through the sheath into the right ventricle and right atrium, where endomyocardial biopsies were carried out.

Findings

• Each horse had three samples of right ventricular biopsies from their right ventricular apex and three right atrial biopsies from their dorsal right atrial wall.
• The presence of myocardial tissue in all the samples was confirmed through histology.
• All horses exhibited atrial and ventricular premature depolarisations when the biopsies were being acquired.
• In nine of the horses, these arrhythmias vanished after the biopsy forceps and introducer sheath was retracted. For one horse, the arrhythmia ceased only after eight hours post-procedure.
• No other complications aside from temporary arrhythmias were observed in the horses.

Conclusion

Scientists concluded that endomyocardial biopsies could be safely performed in standing horses using a percutaneous approach via the jugular vein, without major complications apart from temporary arrhythmias. The authors suggest that this technique has potential for diagnostic or research purposes in equine cardiology, but assert that further investigation is required to assess the safety in diseased horses.