Standing surgical removal of inspissated guttural pouch exudate (chondroids) in ten horses.

The research article describes a study conducted retrospectively on ten adult horses, demonstrating the use of a modified Whitehouse technique for the standing surgical removal of inspissated guttural pouch exudate, often referred to as chondroids. The aim was to better manage conditions like guttural pouch empyema in horses, minimizing the risks associated with general anesthesia and potential surgical suite contamination.

Methodology

• The study involved ten adult horses suffering from guttural pouch empyema, a condition where pus accumulates in the guttural pouch of horses.
• The research team employed a modified Whitehouse procedure to surgically remove inspissated exudate, or chondroids, from one or both guttural pouches. This was done while the horses were standing and sedated.
• The medical histories of each animal were carefully reviewed. This included physical exams as well as endoscopic and radiological examination findings.
• The study also recorded details pertaining to surgical techniques, complications, and outcomes for each horse.

Results

• All ten horses had purulent nasal discharge, a common symptom of guttural pouch empyema.
• Three of the horses had difficulty swallowing, known as dysphagia, and two had recurrent laryngeal neuropathy on the impacted side. One horse showed continuous soft palate displacement.
• Overall, the procedure of removing chondroids while the horse was standing was conducted safely and without causing discomfort to the horses.
• Out of the ten horses, eight were subsequently able to return to their previous athletic activities.
• One horse, which had dysphagia prior to surgery, had to be euthanized due to persistent swallowing difficulties post-surgery, and another horse died a week after surgery for unknown reasons.
• The bacteria Streptococcus equi subsp equi, which is often associated with guttural pouch diseases, was found in three of the ten horses.

Conclusions

• The research concludes that the surgical removal of chondroids from a horse’s guttural pouch is feasible and safe, with the horse standing and sedated, using the modified Whitehouse approach. This method offers an alternative to more risky procedures that require general anesthesia and can pose a risk of surgical suite contamination.