Standing thyroidectomy in 10 horses.
Authors: Marcatili Marco, Voss Sarah J, Pollock Patrick J
Journal: Veterinary surgery : VS
Summary
# Standing Thyroidectomy in Horses: A Practical Alternative to General Anaesthesia Thyroid neoplasia in horses presents a surgical challenge, particularly when general anaesthesia carries elevated risk due to age, concurrent disease, or other factors. Marcatili and colleagues reviewed ten clinical cases where thyroid enlargement was managed via standing thyroidectomy under sedation and local analgesia, evaluating surgical outcomes, complications, and return to function. Histopathological analysis revealed a range of pathology: adenomas (50%), adenocarcinomas (20%), cystic hyperplasia (20%), and a C-cell adenoma (10%), with eight horses requiring hemi-thyroidectomy and two requiring bilateral removal. All horses returned to their previous level of work within six weeks, with no recurrent laryngeal nerve neuropathy, seroma formation, or major perioperative complications recorded; only one horse (10%) experienced recurrence seven months post-operatively, necessitating repeat surgery. This technique offers equine surgeons a valuable option for managing thyroid disease whilst avoiding general anaesthesia, and warrants consideration in cases where standing surgery is feasible—particularly important for geriatric or medically compromised patients where prolonged recumbency and full anaesthetic exposure would be contraindicated.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Standing thyroidectomy under sedation and local anesthesia is a safe, practical alternative to general anesthesia for horses with thyroid enlargement, avoiding anesthetic risks in potentially geriatric or compromised patients
- •Expect rapid return to function—most horses resume normal work within 6 weeks with minimal complications and no nerve damage
- •Recurrence risk appears low but monitor surgical sites; if recurrence develops, revision surgery is feasible
Key Findings
- •Standing sedated thyroidectomy was successfully performed in 10 horses with no major intraoperative or postoperative complications
- •Histopathology revealed adenomas (50%), adenocarcinomas (20%), cystic hyperplasia (20%), and C-cell adenoma (10%)
- •All 10 horses returned to previous exercise levels within 6 weeks; recurrence occurred in only 1 horse at 7 months post-surgery
- •Recurrent laryngeal nerve neuropathy and seroma formation were not observed in any case