Transient Horner’s syndrome in horses following cervical plexus local anesthesia.
Abstract: To report the development of transient Horner's syndrome in horses following local anesthesia of the cervical plexus. Methods: A total of 37 horses. Methods: Observational retrospective short case series. Methods: Medical records of cases undergoing ultrasound-guided cervical plexus anesthesia for standing prosthetic laryngoplasty at a single referral institution were evaluated (2019-2020). Results: Five of 37 horses (14%) developed transient signs of Horner's syndrome postoperatively. Obvious clinical signs began 2 to 5 h following local anesthesia and persisted for two to 4 h. Profuse unilateral sweating of the head and upper neck was the most apparent clinical sign. Conclusions: Transient clinical signs of Horner's syndrome were seen following unilateral local anesthesia of the cervical plexus. Long-term adverse sequelae were not observed.
© 2023 The Authors. Veterinary Surgery published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Publication Date: 2023-11-27 PubMed ID: 38010125DOI: 10.1111/vsu.14053Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research is about the occurrence of temporary Horner’s syndrome in horses as a result of local anesthesia to the cervical plexus during some surgical procedures.
Overview of the Study
The study is an observational retrospective short case series that analyzes the medical records of 37 horses. These horses underwent ultrasound-guided cervical plexus anesthesia for a surgical procedure known as standing prosthetic laryngoplasty.
Objective
- The main objective of the study was to report the development of transient Horner’s syndrome in horses following local anesthesia of the cervical plexus.
Methods
- A total of 37 horses that had previously undergone that specific operation at a single referral institution in 2019-2020 were evaluated retrospectively.
- The method of anesthesia was a localized shot to the cervical plexus, guided by ultrasound imaging.
Results
- Out of the 37 horses reviewed, 5 of them, or 14%, showed transient signs of Horner’s syndrome postoperatively.
- The symptoms became noticeable within 2 to 5 hours following the administration of local anesthesia and lasted for 2 to 4 hours.
- The most visible clinical sign was profuse unilateral sweating of the head and upper neck.
Conclusions
- The research concluded that transient clinical signs of Horner’s syndrome were observed in horses following unilateral local anesthesia of the cervical plexus.
- No long-term adverse effects were noted in any of the cases studied.
Significance
- This study provides useful information about the potential temporary side effects in horses undergoing certain surgical procedures, which could help guide future veterinary practices.
Cite This Article
APA
Pearce DJ, Raffetto J, Vallance SA.
(2023).
Transient Horner’s syndrome in horses following cervical plexus local anesthesia.
Vet Surg.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.14053 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Centre, University of Melbourne Faculty of Sciences, Werribee, Victoria, Australia.
- Equine Centre, University of Melbourne Faculty of Sciences, Werribee, Victoria, Australia.
- Advantage Equine Veterinary Practice, Ascot Vale, Victoria, Australia.
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