Thoracoscopy in the horse: diagnostic and therapeutic indications in 28 cases.

The researchers performed thoracoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure that examines the chest cavity, on 28 horses to either diagnose or treat pleuropneumonia and other thoracic conditions. The research concludes that thoracoscopy is a well-tolerated, safe, and useful tool for both diagnosing and treating diseases in the thoracic cavity of horses.

Study Design and Procedure

• The study included a total of 28 horses across which 32 thoracoscopies were performed. The reason for having a greater number of procedures than horses is due to some horses undergoing more than one thoracoscope.
• Out of the total, 16 horses were diagnosed with pleuropneumonia, while 12 had various other thoracic conditions.
• The procedure was carried out either as a standing thoracoscopy or under general anaesthesia, with a majority (26) done while the horse was standing.

Purpose of Thoracoscopy

• In the 32 procedures, thoracoscopy was used for diagnosis in 19 instances, therapeutic (treatment) purposes in 11, and both diagnosis and treatment in 2 cases.
• This confirms that thoracoscopy can serve dual objectives, providing clinicians the ability to diagnose conditions and sometimes, treat them in the same procedure.

Types of Procedures Performed During Thoracoscopy

• Depending on the health issue, different procedures were performed during the thoracoscopies, these included: exploration, biopsy of lung and lymph nodes, drain placement into pleural effusions and abscesses, exploration prior to thoracotomy, transection of pleural adhesions and decortication, window pericardectomy, diaphragmatic hernia repair, and partial pneumonectomy.
• The nature of these procedures outlines the versatility of thoracoscopy, making it a useful tool not only for various diagnoses but also for different treatments.

Efficiency and Tolerance of Thoracoscopy

• It’s noted that standing thoracoscopy was well tolerated by most horses. Any exacerbation of pulmonary compromise, indicated by tachypnoea, was readily alleviated by reinflation of the lungs.
• Through this procedure, good visualisation of the dorsal and lateral structures of the thorax was achieved while ventral thoracic structures and the cranial ventral diaphragmatic surfaces of the lungs were best visible under general anaesthesia.
• This illustrates that thoracoscopy, whether performed while the horse is standing or under general anaesthesia, can provide clear and efficient visualisation of different areas of the thoracic cavity.

Conclusion

• Based on their observations and results, the researchers concluded that thoracoscopy is a safe and useful diagnostic and therapeutic tool in horses with thoracic diseases.
• The procedure’s effectiveness, along with its minimally invasive nature and good tolerance in horses, makes it a viable option for equine clinicians dealing with thoracic conditions.