Vocal fold augmentation

[colourville 17]

Hey guys does anyone have any experience of the above procedure? My guy had it done was so much better for 4 weeks but has went back to square one. Vet says it may take several procedure till it works properly but at 600 quid a go n insurance not paying and also no guarantee it will eventually work not sure what to do. Without it he will only be a hacking horse which doesn't interest me but couldn't bear to sell him x

 

[Time for Tea]

Sorry can’t help, I don’t know anything about this

 

[SEL]

Is that tie back surgery?

 

[Parrotperson]

Just asked my equine vet friend who’s not heard anything of it but assumed it’s like a tie back. Or possibly a tracheostomy.

Are you in the US op? Might be a thing there but not here in the UK.

 

[Beausmate]

Is that like a Hobday?

 

[PurpleSpots]

A bit of googling suggests that vocal fold augmentation is used to try to ease dysphagia in horses, and that it has had success in a fair percentage of cases.

Dysphagia can be a complication of a tie-back, but it can have other causes too.

It would be interesting if the OP could share a bit more info on their horse, even if we can't help directly with their query?

 

[PurpleSpots]

Ah, the OP had put up another post saying that their horse has developed a cough folllowing a tie-back.

As it seems to be quite a specialist area, are you able to talk to a local referral practice about the number of times vocal fold augmentation is likely to be needed, and in what percentage of horses the procedure tends to give lasting benefit?

Have you bought the horse recently? Did the previous owners disclose the surgery? How long ago did your horse have the tie-back?

What are you hoping to do with your horse?

Have any alternatives to the vocal fold augmentation been suggested/discussed?

 

[colourville 17]

Hey yes this surgery was meant to rectify issues caused from his original tie back and hobday he had before I bought him. The original owner did disclose the surgery, he had a slight cough when I bought him but has gradually gotten worse to the point where it is obviously causing him discomfort and he isn't able to do more than hack out. The vet has said he may need multiple procedure but can't give a definite guarantee it will work

 

[colourville 17]

Hey yes this surgery was meant to rectify issues caused from his original tie back and hobday he had before I bought him. The original owner did disclose the surgery, he had a slight cough when I bought him but has gradually gotten worse to the point where it is obviously causing him discomfort and he isn't able to do more than hack out. The vet has said he may need multiple procedure but can't give a definite guarantee it will work

I was just wondering if anyone had any personal experience of dealing with this.

 

[SEL]

I was just wondering if anyone had any personal experience of dealing with this.

Sorry - no. The tie back was effective for mine, but we're only 3 years post surgery so I'll be interested to hear what you find out.

 

[colourville 17]

Sorry - no. The tie back was effective for mine, but we're only 3 years post surgery so I'll be interested to hear what you find out.

Everyone I know who's horse has a tie back it has been fully successful so fingers crossed all goes well for you guys. Unfortunately we seem to be in the minority and there isn't alot of data out there for a horse which has such extreme anatomy as my guy.

 

[paddi22]

I had a horse who had a tie back years before I got him. over time the muscles loosened, and he ended with food getting into his lungs. He got pneumonia and coughed a lot and lost condition. the vet hospital injected botox into part of his throat, I can't remember which part! but the idea was that it builds up more a block to stop food getting into lungs. it was a once off procedure and wasn't expensive. it worked really successfully and he's still in work today with very little coughing for 8 years since it was done

 

[colourville 17]

I had a horse who had a tie back years before I got him. over time the muscles loosened, and he ended with food getting into his lungs. He got pneumonia and coughed a lot and lost condition. the vet hospital injected botox into part of his throat, I can't remember which part! but the idea was that it builds up more a block to stop food getting into lungs. it was a once off procedure and wasn't expensive. it worked really successfully and he's still in work today with very little coughing for 8 years since it was done

Yip that's exactly what has been done to my boy only it was bone cement they injected into his soft tissue.

 

[SEL]

Everyone I know who's horse has a tie back it has been fully successful so fingers crossed all goes well for you guys. Unfortunately we seem to be in the minority and there isn't alot of data out there for a horse which has such extreme anatomy as my guy.

What's actually causing the problem on the scope? Is it the vocal chord which should have been "tied back" coming over his wind pipe?

 

[ihatework]

I’m not sure where abouts you are or which vet you are currently using, but if you need a specialist second opinion I’d recommend Ben Brain, he is Cotswolds based and wind issues are his business!

 

[colourville 17]

What's actually causing the problem on the scope? Is it the vocal chord which should have been "tied back" coming over his wind pipe?

He has had a hobday so vocal chords removed. He was over corrected initially so they tried to reverse the tie back which was unsuccessful. His soft pallette is constantly displaced and feed also trickles down his windpipe. The augmentation plumps up the soft tissue creating a barrier to stop the feed and is also meant to help with the soft pallette as well x

 

[colourville 17]

I’m not sure where abouts you are or which vet you are currently using, but if you need a specialist second opinion I’d recommend Ben Brain, he is Cotswolds based and wind issues are his business!

We are in Scotland x