Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse with eye discharge - how endoscopy helped fix blockage
By Smith, Levi H et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2023·Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Endoscopic-guided diagnosis of and interventional stent placement for nasolacrimal duct obstruction in a horse.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old Quarter horse was experiencing chronic eye discharge due to a blocked tear duct. The veterinarian used a special camera to look inside the horse's nose and found a fibrous tissue blockage. They placed a soft stent to keep the duct open, which helped improve the horse's condition. After a month, the stent was removed, and the owner reported a significant decrease in eye discharge and sensitivity around the horse's face and ears.
People also search for: horse eye discharge treatment · blocked tear duct in horses · equine nasolacrimal duct obstruction solution
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the successful use of endoscopy to visualize and place a soft canine ureteral stent to relieve a chronic nasolacrimal duct (NLD) obstruction in a horse. ANIMAL STUDIED: A 7-year-old, Quarter horse gelding. PROCEDURE: Under general anesthesia, retrograde nasolacrimal endoscopy was performed using an 8.5 Fr Storz Flex XC ureteroscope through the nasal punctum (NP). An obstructive web of fibrous tissue was visualized approximately 20 cm proximal to the NP. A 0.035″/150 cm hydrophilic guidewire was passed normograde from the ventral lacrimal punctum and used to puncture the stenotic tissue. Then, a 5.0Fr/70 cm open-end ureteral catheter was threaded normograde over the guidewire and NLD patency was re-established. The catheter confirmed a NLD length of 30 cm and was then removed. A 5.0Fr/22-32 cm Universa© Soft Ureteral Stent was threaded normograde over the guidewire until the loops of the stent were exposed at each end. The guidewire was removed and the stent loops were sutured in place. RESULTS: The stent was withdrawn 1 month after the procedure. Telephone follow-up with the client reported significant improvement in the amount of ocular discharge and decreased sensitivity around the face and ears. CONCLUSION: Endoscopy is a safe and effective procedure allowing for definitive diagnosis of NLD obstruction and to assist in interventional procedures. Placement of a canine indwelling ureteral stent seems to be an effective alternative treatment option for equine NLD obstruction compared to conventional invasive surgical procedures.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37030668/