Surgery

Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive (“keyhole”) surgical procedure to evaluate joints and synovial structures. We offer a full-service arthroscopic service, including a 4k high definition video camera, high quality instruments, synovial resector and more.

It is commonly used for removing chips from joints (aka OCD/osteochondral fragments) or treating joint infections. We also perform tenoscopy, which is keyhole surgery of tendon sheaths, such as the digital flexor tendon sheath or bursoscopy, which is surgery of bursas, such as the navicular bursa.

Colic surgery

All horses admitted for colic get a full diagnostic workup including bloodwork, rectal examination, ultrasound exam and peritoneal fluid analysis, and based upon these diagnostic factors and the horse’s clinical condition, a decision can be made about whether the horse needs colic surgery.

We have an experienced team of vets and nurses who are well equipped to deal with hospitalised colic patients pre- and post-operatively to ensure the best possible success.

Fracture repair

We perform fracture repair regularly at VEH both under standing sedation and under general anaesthesia. Fracture repair techniques in the horse are constantly evolving and improving, resulting in a better prognosis for racehorses and pleasure horses alike that suffer from fractures.
Our fracture fixation kit also allows us to perform surgical arthrodesis (fusion) of arthritic joints (most commonly the pastern), to allow the horse to have a comfortable life.

Laparoscopy

Laparoscopy is minimally invasive surgery of the abdominal cavity. It allows for examination of the abdominal cavity, for example in chronic/recurrent colics and it is the approach of choice for some procedures such as ovariectomy and cryptorchidectomy (rig). This is because the whole surgery can be done in the standing horse, through small incisions (<2cm) and the horses return to work much faster.

Musculoskeletal surgery

We perform a lot of standing foot surgeries in horses at VEH, with the help of our standing distal (lower) limb CT Scanner. Additionally, we perform many other MSK surgeries such as for kissing spine and neurectomies (suspensory and front feet)

Upper airway surgery

We offer the full range of upper airway surgeries, commonly termed ‘wind ops’ at VEH. A lot of our surgeries are performed under standing sedation such as; tie-backs, soft palate cautery, laser hobday surgery, aryepiglottic fold resections and epiglottic entrapment repair.
A lot of the wind ops we do are after the horse’s upper airway has been examined using our overground endoscopy, which is equipment that the horses wear during exercise, and the airway is examined in real time. The combination of this diagnostic modality with the correct surgery then performed, offers the horse the best chance of improved performance.

Soft tissue surgery

Soft tissue surgery in horses encompasses many different body systems and procedures, including the abdomen (non-colic), thorax, urinary and reproductive tracts, hernia repair, skin grafts and wound care and reconstruction.

Sinus and dental surgery

It is not uncommon for horses with nasal discharge, for the sinuses to be involved. With a combination of digital x-rays, endoscopy and minimally invasive sinoscopy, we are able to diagnose a host of different problems and provide treatment options from sinus lavage to performing a surgical sinus flap.

If the sinusitis has a dental component, we can perform routine dental work as well as molar extractions.