Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dynamic laryngeal collapse associated with poll flexion as a complication of laryngeal tie-forward surgery in three harness racehorses.
- Journal:
- Veterinary surgery : VS
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Vermedal, Hanna & Strand, Eric
- Affiliation:
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study looked at three harness racehorses that had a surgery called a laryngeal tie-forward procedure, which is meant to help with breathing issues. After the surgery, these horses showed a problem called dynamic laryngeal collapse, where parts of their throat collapsed when they bent their necks down, which can happen during racing. The horses were otherwise healthy when they were exercising normally, but this issue became apparent only when they were tested at high speeds. The findings suggest that this complication might not be recognized often in racehorses, especially since it only shows up under certain conditions. Overall, the treatment for the initial breathing issue was not fully successful due to this new complication.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report dynamic laryngeal collapse (DLC) associated with poll flexion as a potential complication of the laryngeal tie-forward procedure (LTFP) in harness racehorses. STUDY DESIGN: Short case series. ANIMALS: Three harness racehorses. METHODS: Preoperative and postoperative medical records of all harness racehorses that underwent the LTFP were reviewed, as were high-speed treadmill videoendoscopy recordings of 35 horses that returned for upper airway evaluation postoperatively. RESULTS: One standardbred and two Norwegian coldblooded trotters in which dorsal displacement of the soft palate had been initially diagnosed were found to have bilateral arytenoid cartilage and vocal fold collapse associated with poll flexion after the LTFP. These three horses were otherwise clinically normal when exercised in free head carriage. CONCLUSION: Dynamic laryngeal collapse associated with poll flexion can occur as a complication after the LTFP in harness racehorses and should be considered as a differential in horses with persistence of airway problems after surgery. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Postoperative DLC may be underdiagnosed in harness racehorses because this complication is obvious only when horses are driven with bit and reins during high speed treadmill or overground videoendoscopy.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31750568/