Abstract
A retrospective study was conducted of 106 horses that had neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser ventriculectomy performed. Medical records were reviewed to assess the types and frequency of short term (in hospital) complications. Owners or trainers of the operated horses were contacted to determine type and frequency of long-term complications, the performance of the animal after surgery, and owner satisfaction with the procedure. Almost all horses having laser ventriculectomy performed had a concurrent laryngeal prosthesis. Most short-term complications (incisional swelling, seroma formation) were attributed to prosthesis placement. Some complications (coughing, dysphagia) may have been due to either procedure. Long-term complications of the laser ventriculectomy included cyst (n = 1), granuloma (n = 1), or abscess (n = 3) formation at the ventriculectomy site. Several horses did not return to satisfactory performance levels and five were destroyed. Complications, while rare, occasionally resulted in severe respiratory embarrassment. Owner satisfaction was not related to the occurrence or lack of complications, and varied considerably depending on the expected athletic performance of the horse.
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