Trans-endoscopic ventriculocordectomy in horses using monopolar electrocautery

Abstract

Laryngeal hemiplegia is one of the most common upper airway affections in horses. Laringoplasty is indicated in high-performance animals, and when the only complaint is noisy breathing, ventriculectomy and cordectomy can be performed. This study aimed to establish a minimally invasive surgical approach to ventriculocordectomy in horses, through a videoendoscopic procedure. The technique was developed in two stages, the first one was a cadaveric study and the second one was in vivo, both using two flexible endoscopes. A bilateral ventriculocordectomy was performed in two cadavers, totaling the removal of four vocal cords. In the second stage, a left unilateral ventriculocordectomy was performed in three animals with laryngeal hemiplegia. The vocal cords were pulled by one of the endoscopes with 3.2mm grasping forceps, while the second equipment was used for the resection of vocal cords with a flexible electrode adapted for monopolar electrosurgery (electrocautery). The average time for removal of the vocal cords was 23±5 minutes. In the postoperative care, moderate inflammation around the surgical wound was observed, with complete healing in 21 days in one horse and 28 days in the other two. One animal presented exuberant granulation tissue on the surgical site. Other complications due to the tested technique were not noticed; therefore, it could be a less invasive option for ventriculocordectomy in horses. The developed technique proved to be effective for ventriculocordectomy execution in horses. The main advantages of this approach were reduced surgical time, shorter healing average time, no need for daily dressings and return to normal activities in a shorter period when compared to other surgical approaches. The limitation of the technique consists of the need for two endoscopes for its accomplishment. Further studies, with more animals, are needed to improve the technique.