Ventriculocordectomy as the sole treatment for recurrent laryngeal neuropathy: long-term results from ninety-two horses.
Authors: Taylor Sarah E, Barakzai Safia Z, Dixon Padraic
Journal: Veterinary surgery : VS
Summary
# Ventriculocordectomy for Recurrent Laryngeal Neuropathy: Long-term outcomes in 92 horses Recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN) causes exercise-induced airway obstruction and abnormal respiratory noise in horses, traditionally managed through laryngoplasty; however, this retrospective study of 92 horses examined whether ventriculocordectomy alone—removal of the laryngeal ventricle and vocal cord—could serve as an effective alternative. Most horses presented with abnormal respiratory noise (52%), poor performance (11%), or both (37%), and had mild laryngeal asymmetry (Havemeyer grade III.1) on pre-operative endoscopy. At least one year post-surgery, 66% of horses were completely silent at exercise, with only 9% continuing to make noise at canter and 21% at gallop; 93% returned to full work, and 86% of owners considered the procedure worthwhile, whilst racing Thoroughbreds showed significantly improved performance indices (P=0.004). Postoperative complications were minimal, with 62% showing no laryngotomy discharge within a week and 22% experiencing post-operative cough. For practitioners managing RLN in horses with lower-grade laryngeal dysfunction, unilateral ventriculocordectomy offers a technically straightforward alternative to laryngoplasty with excellent functional outcomes and high owner satisfaction, though patient selection remains important for optimal results.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Ventriculocordectomy is an effective alternative to laryngoplasty for mild-to-moderate RLN (Havemeyer grade III.1), with high owner satisfaction and rapid return to work
- •Two-thirds of horses stop making abnormal respiratory noises entirely, and most remaining cases only show noise at gallop rather than interference during work
- •Postoperative complications are low (only 22% coughed after surgery, 62% had no laryngotomy discharge), making this a practical option for performance horses
Key Findings
- •66% of horses made no noises postoperatively, with 9% making noise only at canter and 21% only at gallop
- •93% of horses returned to full work following ventriculocordectomy
- •86% of owners considered the surgery worthwhile with only 3% rating it unsuccessful
- •Raced Thoroughbreds showed significantly improved performance index (P=0.004) following surgery