[The surgical therapy of equine recurrent uveitis].
Abstract: Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is the most frequently encountered cause of eye problems and blindness in horses. Classic treatment of ERU includes mydriatics, corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Despite vigorous topical and systemic treatment, however, in many cases, the prognosis for preserving vision remains poor. Experiences with surgical treatment of chronic endogenous uveitis in human patients have shown that vision-impairing axial opacities in the vitreous body can be removed by pars plana vitrectomy, and that a considerable decrease in the frequency and severity of uveitic relapses results. So far, 11 eyes of 10 horses were subjected to vitrectomy. All horses had suffered from 3 or more uveitic attacks and had a hazy vitreous. In all cases, at discharge from the clinic, the vitreous chamber was less hazy compared to preoperative findings. At follow-up examinations, 8 eyes (8/10) had normal i.o. pressure, and 2 (2/10) had subnormal i.o. pressure and the vitreous chambers were clear or contained only small floaters. Uveitic attacks had not been observed in the operated eyes. Postoperative complications included fibrinous, or fibrinous-haemorrhagic exudate in the anterior chamber of all eyes, and in one eye, a minor haemorrhage in the vitreous chamber. Our preliminary results indicate that pars plana vitrectomy assuring proper case selection and accurate surgical technique, may contribute to improvement of vision and may delay the progression of uveitic complications in horses.
Publication Date: 1992-04-01 PubMed ID: 1609401
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- English Abstract
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article is investigating the efficacy of a surgical treatment method for equine recurrent uveitis, a common eye condition in horses. The researchers hypothesize that pars plana vitrectomy, already found helpful in human patients, may also improve vision and delay progression of issues in horses with this condition.
Introduction to Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU)
- Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), a repetitive inflammation of the uvea (the middle layer of the eye) in horses, is recognized as a leading cause of equine eye issues and blindness.
- Traditional ERU treatments include mydriatics (drugs that dilate the pupil), corticosteroids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- In many cases, despite rigorous application of these therapeutic approaches, preserving the horse’s vision remains a challenge.
Vitrectomy as an Alternative Treatment
- The researchers explored surgical treatment options that have proved beneficial in treating chronic endogenous uveitis in humans.
- Pars plana vitrectomy, a surgery that involves the removal of the vitreous humour (a clear gel-like substance in the eye), has shown promising results in human patients.
- This type of surgery has proven to significantly reduce the frequency and severity of uveitis recurrences and eliminate vision-impairing axial opacities in the human eye.
- Given these results, the researchers sought to apply the method to horses suffering from ERU.
Results of the Study
- The procedure was performed on 11 eyes of 10 horses, each had experienced at least three uveitis attacks and exhibited a hazy vitreous, making them prime candidates for this treatment.
- At the time of discharge from the clinic, the vitreous chamber of all treated horses was less hazy compared to the preoperative state.
- Follow-up examinations revealed promising results; 8 of the 10 horses had normal intraocular pressure, and the remaining 2 exhibited subnormal pressure.
- Moreover, the vitreous chambers were significantly clearer, containing only minimal floaters and no recurrences of uveitis were noticed in the operated eyes.
Drawbacks and Complications
- Postoperative complications included fibrinous or fibrinous-haemorrhagic exudate in the anterior chamber of all eyes, and minor haemorrhage in the vitreous chamber of one eye.
- These complications highlighted the risks associated with the surgical procedure and the need for continued research and refinement.
Conclusion
- The preliminary outcomes suggest that pars plana vitrectomy may contribute significantly to improving vision and delaying the progression of ERU-related complications in horses, especially when combined with proper case selection and precise surgical technique.
- This hope-inspiring study signifies a potential shift in the treatment paradigm for ERU, but more research is needed to fully gauge the effectiveness and implications of vitrectomy in treating equine recurrent uveitis.
Cite This Article
APA
Werry H, Gerhards H.
(1992).
[The surgical therapy of equine recurrent uveitis].
Tierarztl Prax, 20(2), 178-186.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Augenklinik, Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Blindness / prevention & control
- Blindness / veterinary
- Follow-Up Studies
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Recurrence
- Uveitis / surgery
- Uveitis / veterinary
- Vitrectomy / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Degroote RL, Schmalen A, Hauck SM, Deeg CA. Unveiling Differential Responses of Granulocytes to Distinct Immunostimulants with Implications in Autoimmune Uveitis. Biomedicines 2023 Dec 20;12(1).
- Hoffmann ALC, Hauck SM, Deeg CA, Degroote RL. Pre-Activated Granulocytes from an Autoimmune Uveitis Model Show Divergent Pathway Activation Profiles upon IL8 Stimulation In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2022 Aug 23;23(17).
- Wollanke B, Gerhards H, Ackermann K. Infectious Uveitis in Horses and New Insights in Its Leptospiral Biofilm-Related Pathogenesis. Microorganisms 2022 Feb 7;10(2).
- Geiger T, Gerhards H, Wollanke B. Detection of Anti-LipL32 Antibodies in Serum Samples from Horses with Chronic Intraocular Infection with Leptospira spp. Pathogens 2021 Oct 14;10(10).
- Ackermann K, Kenngott R, Settles M, Gerhards H, Maierl J, Wollanke B. In Vivo Biofilm Formation of Pathogenic Leptospira spp. in the Vitreous Humor of Horses with Recurrent Uveitis. Microorganisms 2021 Sep 9;9(9).
- Degroote RL, Deeg CA. Immunological Insights in Equine Recurrent Uveitis. Front Immunol 2020;11:609855.
- Fischer BM, McMullen RJ Jr, Reese S, Brehm W. Intravitreal injection of low-dose gentamicin for the treatment of recurrent or persistent uveitis in horses: Preliminary results. BMC Vet Res 2019 Jan 16;15(1):29.
- Velez G, Tang PH, Cabral T, Cho GY, Machlab DA, Tsang SH, Bassuk AG, Mahajan VB. Personalized Proteomics for Precision Health: Identifying Biomarkers of Vitreoretinal Disease. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2018 Sep;7(5):12.
- Angi M, Kalirai H, Coupland SE, Damato BE, Semeraro F, Romano MR. Proteomic analyses of the vitreous humour. Mediators Inflamm 2012;2012:148039.
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