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Thoracoscopic diaphragmatic hernia repair in a warmblood mare
Michael Röcken1, Gesine Mosel, Katharine Barske
1Tierärztliche Klinik Starnberg, Starnberg, Germany. mroecken@t‐online.de
Objective:
To describe successful repair of a diaphragmatic hernia in a standing sedated horse using a minimally invasive thoracoscopic technique.
Study Design:
Clinical report.
Animals:
Warmblood mare with a diaphragmatic hernia.
Results:
An 18-year-old Warmblood mare with severe colic was referred for surgical treatment of small intestinal strangulation in a diaphragmatic defect. Twelve days after initial conventional colic surgery, left-sided laparoscopy in the standing sedated mare for diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy failed because the spleen obscured the hernia. One week later, a left-sided thoracoscopy was performed in the standing sedated horse and the hernia repaired by an intrathoracic suture technique. No long-term complications occurred (up to 4 years) and the mare returned to her previous athletic activity, followed by use as a broodmare.
Conclusions:
To avoid the high risks associated with general anesthesia, and to reduce surgical trauma and postoperative recovery, central diaphragmatic hernias are amenable to repair using a minimally invasive thoracoscopic technique in the standing sedated horse.
