Transendoscopic Nd:YAG laser surgery for treatment of epiglottal entrapment and dorsal displacement of the soft palate in the horse.

The research studied the use of a specific type of laser, Nd:YAG, in endoscopic surgery to treat horses with epiglottic entrapment or a condition causing the soft palate to displace, or both. The study found that this laser procedure could successfully treat these conditions with mostly positive outcomes.

Methodology and Tested Conditions

• The research applied transendoscopic neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser in surgery to treat 12 horses meeting specific conditions. These conditions included epiglottic entrapment (EE), dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP), or both.
• Common symptoms or presenting conditions of the horses treated in the study included breathing difficulties (respiratory stridor), coughs, and showing signs of difficulty or inability to exercise.
• Four out of the twelve horses underwent a procedure known as transendoscopic laser staphylectomy.

Results and Outcomes

• Out of the ten horses with epiglottic entrapment, all showed signs of healing without complications related to the epiglottis.
• In one case, partial adhesion of the aryepiglottic fold to one side of the epiglottis was observed. This required surgical correction through a laryngotomy incision, which is a surgical procedure to create an opening into the larynx.
• For the cases of dorsal displacement of the soft palate, one horse showed no further signs of the condition post-treatment, one continued to have regular displacement, and two displayed induced displacement.

Conclusion

• The application of transendoscopic Nd:YAG laser has proven to be a viable method for correcting epiglottic entrapment and certain cases of dorsal displacement of the soft palate in horses.
• Further study or additional cases may be needed to explore and establish the consistency, precision, and limitations of this procedure. However, the results of this study suggest its potential effectiveness in treating these specific equine conditions.