Laryngeal tie‐forward in standing sedated horses

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility and describe the clinical experience of performing laryngeal tie‐forward (LTF) in standing horses unaffected (experimental) and affected (clinical) by intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (iDDSP). STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study and case series. ANIMALS: Five normal experimental controls and five client owned horses affected by iDDSP. METHODS: Standing LTF was performed and evaluated in five experimental horses and five clinical cases diagnosed with iDDSP. Standing LTF was performed under endoscopic guidance with horses sedated and the surgical site desensitized with local anesthetic solution. Short term outcome was assessed using radiography, resting and (in clinical cases) dynamic upper respiratory tract (URT) endoscopy. RESULTS: Standing LTF was well tolerated and completed in all horses. Radiographic assessment demonstrated that compared to preoperatively, the basihyoid bone and thyrohyoid‐thyroid articulation were positioned dorsally (9.6 mm, p = .006 and 20.4 mm, p = .007, respectively) at 2 days postoperatively. During repeat dynamic URT endoscopy at 48 hours postoperatively, 3/5 horses showed resolution of iDDSP and 2/5 marked improvement. One horse experienced brief iDDSP associated with neck flexion which corrected after swallowing. The second achieved a greater speed and total distance prior to iDDSP. CONCLUSIONS: Standing LTF did not incur any major peri‐ or postoperative complications. The laryngohyoid apparatus was repositioned dorsally and in a small case series had a similar surgical effect on laryngeal position. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Standing LTF is feasible, mitigates the risk of general anesthesia related complications and reduces cost.