Partial resection of the plica salpingopharyngeus for the treatment of three foals with bilateral tympany of the auditory tube diverticulum (guttural pouch).

CASE DESCRIPTION: 3 foals were referred for treatment of tympany of the auditory tube diverticulum (guttural pouch). CLINICAL FINDINGS: Bilateral guttural pouch tympany was diagnosed in all 3 foals on the basis of clinical signs and results of radiographic and endoscopic evaluations and gutturocentesis. In each foal, previous medical or surgical interventions or both had failed to correct the problem. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Bilateral surgical resection of the plica salpingopharyngeus was performed. Follow-up telephone interviews with owners 8 months to 3 years after surgery revealed that long-term resolution of the tympany had been achieved in each foal, with few to no postsurgical complications. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Surgical correction of refractory bilateral guttural pouch tympany can be accomplished by resection of the plica salpingopharyngeus within the pharyngeal opening of the Eustachian tube. In the foals of this report, permanent resolution of tympany was apparently achieved without interfering with upper airway function, providing support for the use of surgical resection of the plica salpingopharyngeus in the treatment of bilateral guttural pouch tympany.

A lag-screw technique for bridging of the medial aspect of the distal tibial physis in horses.

A lag-screw technique for transphyseal bridging of the medial aspect of the distal tibial physis in foals with tarsal valgus deformities and results of the technique in 11 foals (6 with bilateral tarsal valgus deformities and 5 with unilateral tarsal valgus deformities) are described. Briefly, horses were anesthetized, and a single stab incision was made through the skin to the underlying bone over the most distal aspect of the medial malleolus. A 20-gauge needle was placed in the incision to guide screw placement, and a lag screw was inserted parallel to the medial cortex of the tibia under radiographic guidance. Screws were removed when the tarsal valgus deformity was clinically assessed to have improved by at least 80%. Clinically, all horses had evidence of a tarsal valgus deformity of > 7 degrees prior to surgery. Mean age at the time of lag-screw implanation was 220 days (range, 116 to 364 days). Mean time the implant was in place was 62 days (range, 39 to 89 days). The tarsal valgus deformity resolved in all 11 horses with excellent cosmetic results.