Racing performance after combined prosthetic laryngoplasty and ipsilateral ventriculocordectomy or partial arytenoidectomy: 135 Thoroughbred racehorses competing at less than 2400 m (1997-2007).
Authors: Witte T H, Mohammed H O, Radcliffe C H, Hackett R P, Ducharme N G
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN) remains a significant performance-limiting condition in racehorses, yet uncertainty persists around optimal surgical timing and technique. This retrospective analysis of 135 Thoroughbreds examined whether prosthetic laryngoplasty combined with ipsilateral ventriculocordectomy (LPVC) or partial arytenoidectomy (PA) could restore racing earnings to levels comparable with unaffected controls, with particular attention to disease severity and diagnosis. Post-operative earnings after LPVC were substantially influenced by pre-operative laryngeal grade: horses with grade III RLN returned to earnings equivalent to matched controls, whilst grade IV cases fell significantly short, suggesting that intervention before complete paralysis occurs yields superior economic outcomes. Although return-to-racing rates were comparable between LPVC and PA, the former procedure generated meaningfully higher post-operative earnings; importantly, PA outcomes were independent of underlying diagnosis (RLN versus unilateral arytenoid chondritis), making it a more predictable option for non-RLN pathology. These findings challenge the conventional practice of delaying intervention until complete laryngeal collapse, instead supporting early referral of grade III cases for laryngoplasty to maximise both racing longevity and financial return—a distinction that warrants reconsideration in pre-operative counselling and surgical decision-making protocols.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Recommend laryngoplasty with ventriculocordectomy for grade III RLN cases to maximize return to competitive racing and earning potential—early intervention is preferable to waiting for complete paralysis
- •Partial arytenoidectomy should be reserved for cases where laryngoplasty is contraindicated, as it yields inferior financial outcomes despite similar return-to-racing rates
- •Grade IV RLN cases treated surgically will have reduced earning potential post-operatively regardless of technique; consider this when advising owners on prognosis and treatment decisions
Key Findings
- •Horses treated with laryngoplasty and ventriculocordectomy (LPVC) for grade III RLN achieved post-operative earnings comparable to age and sex-matched controls
- •LPVC resulted in significantly higher post-operative earnings compared to partial arytenoidectomy (PA) despite similar rates of return to racing
- •LPVC for grade IV RLN and PA for either diagnosis failed to restore post-operative earnings to control levels
- •Performance outcomes after PA were independent of diagnosis (RLN vs UAC), but LPVC outcomes were significantly affected by disease severity