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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Med Sci / Technique description and outcome evaluation of Thoroughbred...
Veterinary medicine and science2024; 10(5); e70018; doi: 10.1002/vms3.70018

Technique description and outcome evaluation of Thoroughbred racehorses following soft palate thermocautery performed under standing sedation.

Abstract: Palatal dysfunction (PD), which encompasses palatal instability (PI) and intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate, is the most common performance-limiting upper respiratory tract obstruction in young Thoroughbred racehorses. Soft palate thermocautery (SPT) performed under general anaesthesia is a routinely performed procedure for PD in some countries, but the procedure for and outcome of SPT performed under standing sedation has not been published. (1) To describe a technique for SPT performed under standing sedation; and (2) to assess post-operative performance in horses compared to controls using the Racing Post rating (RPR), British Horseracing Authority official rating (OR), Performance Index and Earnings. Retrospective case series. Medical records were reviewed for all horses that had SPT performed under standing sedation following topical and local infusion of lidocaine hydrochloride into the rostral soft palate, and that were identified to have PI by overground endoscopy. Two matched controls were identified for each case. The median RPR, OR, Performance Index and Earnings for the three pre-operative and three post-operative races were compared. No significant differences were identified between the SPT (n = 23) and Control groups (n = 46) for baseline characteristics or outcomes. Retrospective study design, small sample size. No significant differences in racing performance were identified between horses that had SPT performed under standing sedation and controls.
© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2024-09-17 PubMed ID: 39285763PubMed Central: PMC11405922DOI: 10.1002/vms3.70018Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article describes the procedure and outcome of soft palate thermocautery (SPT) conducted under standing sedation for Thoroughbred racehorses with palatal dysfunction (PD). The findings show no significant differences in race performance between horses that had SPT under standing sedation and those that didn’t.

Study Objective and Methodology

  • The article addresses two main objectives. First, it explains the methodology used for performing SPT under standing sedation, a technique not previously published. Secondly, the study assesses the post-operative racing performance of the treated horses, as compared to control horses.
  • The researchers conducted a retrospective case study, where they reviewed medical records of Thoroughbred horses diagnosed with PD. These horses had undergone SPT under standing sedation following the infusion of lidocaine hydrochloride into the rostral soft palate. For comparison, they identified two matched control horses for each treated horse.
  • Measurement tools such as Racing Post rating (RPR), British Horseracing Authority official rating (OR), Performance Index, and Earnings were used to evaluate the horses’ pre- and post-operative performances.
  • The researchers compared the median RPR, OR, Performance Index, and Earnings for the three pre-operative and three post-operative races.

Study Findings

  • The study analyzed a total of 23 horses that underwent SPT and 46 control horses. After careful evaluation, the researchers found no significant differences between the two groups in terms of baseline characteristics or outcomes.
  • The results of the study illustrate that undergoing SPT under standing sedation didn’t notably impact racehorses’ performances in the three races post-procedure as compared to the three pre-procedure races.

Conclusions

  • The researchers note that the retrospective design of the study and the small sample size used limits the conclusions that can be drawn from the study.
  • Despite these limitations, the study points to the possibility that soft palate thermocautery performed under standing sedation may be a viable treatment option for Thoroughbred racehorses with palatal dysfunction, as it reportedly doesn’t negatively impact their subsequent racing performance.

Cite This Article

APA
Cassiers V, McNally T. (2024). Technique description and outcome evaluation of Thoroughbred racehorses following soft palate thermocautery performed under standing sedation. Vet Med Sci, 10(5), e70018. https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.70018

Publication

Veterinary medicine and science
ISSN: 2053-1095
NlmUniqueID: 101678837
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 5
Pages: e70018

Researcher Affiliations

Cassiers, Violette
  • Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA.
McNally, Turlough
  • Veterinary Specialists Ireland, Clonmahon, Summerhill, County Meath, Ireland.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / surgery
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Palate, Soft / surgery
  • Male
  • Horse Diseases / surgery
  • Female
  • Lidocaine / administration & dosage

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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