Extraluminal, C shaped polyethylene prostheses in two ponies with tracheal collapse

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Surgery
• Equine Respiratory Disease

Background:

• Severe tracheal collapse presents a significant challenge in equine respiratory medicine.
• Current treatment options for tracheal collapse in ponies are limited.

Observation:

• A clinical report details the use of extraluminal, C-shaped prostheses in two ponies with severe tracheal collapse.
• The prostheses were constructed from high-density polyethylene and sutured to the dorsal tracheal membrane and rings via a ventral median approach.

Findings:

• The surgical technique allowed for good tracheal access and uncomplicated prosthesis placement.
• While initial prosthesis sizing was inaccurate in one case, both ponies experienced marked resolution of clinical abnormalities post-surgery.
• Complications included coughing, laryngeal hemiplegia, seroma, and colitis; one pony was euthanized after 3.5 years due to recurrent esophageal obstruction, while the other remained well at 1 year.

Implications:

• Extraluminal tracheal prostheses demonstrate potential for rapid clinical improvement in ponies with tracheal collapse.
• This surgical approach may offer a successful treatment strategy for resolving clinical abnormalities associated with equine tracheal collapse.