Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgical cleft soft palate repair in a foal.
- Journal:
- Australian veterinary journal
- Year:
- 2002
- Authors:
- Kirkham, L E McN & Vasey, J R
- Affiliation:
- Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A young Anglo-Arab foal had a problem with its soft palate, which is the back part of the roof of the mouth, causing it to have nasal discharge after eating. The veterinarians tried to fix this issue with surgery using two different methods. The first surgery didn't completely heal the area, so five months later, they performed a second surgery that gave them better access to the problem. The foal has since grown up normally, although it still has a slight discharge from one nostril. This case shows that using both surgical methods together can be more effective than using just one.
Abstract
An Anglo-Arab foal with bilateral postprandial nasal discharge was diagnosed as having a full-length defect of the soft palate. Surgical repair was attempted using a combination of two surgical approaches. Initially a mandibular symphysiotomy approach was used. The posterior portion of the defect did not heal adequately, so a ventral laryngotomy, bisecting the body of the thyroid cartilage and extending to a pharyngotomy approach, was performed 5 months later. The foal has since matured fully despite a slight unilateral nasal discharge. This case report demonstrates that these two surgical approaches used simultaneously provide surgical access that is superior to either approach used individually.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12019699/