Arthroscopy is the use of a small rigid endoscopic camera inside a joint to look at cartilage, bone, bone chips, OCD fragments and other joint injuries. During arthroscopy, the surgeon can also removed damaged cartilage, chips and OCD fragments through tiny incisions while viewing the joint with the endoscopic camera. Some of the common arthroscopic procedures we do are: hock and stifle OCD, bone chip removals from the carpus (knee) and fetlocks in race horses, tendon sheath and navicular bursa debridement and advanced procedures such as meniscal and cruciate ligament injections with PRP and stem cells and intra-articular fracture repairs such as C3 slabs. Arthroscopy is the most common surgical procedure performed at Elders Equine.
The laparoscope can also be used to close the nephrosplenic space which is a procedure used to prevent recurrence of a particular type of colic. The instruments can be used to break down adhesions that form in the abdomen particularly after conventional abdominal surgery or colic surgery (most common).It can be used to removal bladder stones in geldings and can be used to assess the large organs of the abdomen such as the kidney's, liver and spleen.
There are numerous uses for this advanced minimally invasive technology and Dr. Bell is always available to discuss the possible options for your horse if a laparoscopic approach can be used. Dr. Bell was trained by laparoscopic leaders in Western Canada and the USA. If you have any questions about the procedures, feel free to give us a call.
NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSURGERY SERVICE
Dr. Bell has a keen interest in equine neurology and neurosurgery and has developed a special service within our practice for assessment, diagnosis and treatment of neurological conditions in the horse. Dr. Bell often works with human neurosurgeons to help determine innovated and unique solutions to neurological problems in the horse that have yet to be address in veterinary medicine. Dr. Bell also performs many of the current routine and available diagnostics and treatments in equine veterinary medicine.
SERVICES OFFERED:
- Neurological exams
- Cranial nerve assessment
- Vertebral assessment and peripheral nerve assessment
- Cervical Facet Injections ( Ultrasound guided)
- EEG
- Myelogram
- Endoscopic assessment of the cervical vertebral canal
- EPM, EHV-1, WNV - infectious diseases of the CNS assessment
- Ultrasound
- Management of OCD and facet disease
- Cranial and Vertebral Radiography
- CT, MRI and Scintigraphy available via referral for imaging to major Universities
CONDITIONS COMMONLY SEEN:
- Kissing spine/Impingement of the dorsal spinous process - medical and surgical treatments
Interspinous ligament desmotomy surgery (ISLD) - Cervical Vertebral Stenosis and Instability Assessment (Wobbler's Syndrome)
Vertebral fusion surgery - Equine Trigeminal Associated Headshaker Syndrome assessment, medical and surgical treatments
Infraorbital canal coil compression surgery - Maxillary nerve internal neurolysis surgery
- Peripheral and Central Nervous System Tumors
- Neurovascular Conditions - medical and surgical management
- Equine Narcolepsy and Epilepsy
INTERSPINOUS LIGAMENT DESMOTOMY
This procedure is used for the treatment of 'kissing spines' (impingement of the dorsal spinous processes) along the spine of your horse. The most common location for the kissing spines is in the center of the back but they can occur all along the spine including the withers. Kissing spines occurs when the bony process ,which projects upward from each veterbra, begin to rub together. This creates inflammation of the bony process and, more importantly, inflammation of the ligament between the processes (interspinous ligament). As this ligament becomes inflamed, it contracts and pulls the bony processes closer together. This results in increased inflammation and a vicious circle of inflammation is created.
The initial treatment for these horses is to work on improving back conditioning and posture (rounding the back) and anti-inflammatories - which may be given orally or via injections into the back around the inflamed bony processes and ligament. If this fails, a new surgical procedure has been recently developed to cut the ligament between the inflamed processes and thus relieve the pain associated with the 'kissing spines'. The success rates have been high with this procedure and Dr. Bell is the only board certified surgeon in the Province able to perform and offer this procedure.
If you have a horse with back soreness or suspect that your horse has 'kissing spines', please feel free to contact Dr. Bell for a consultation
STANDING SURGERY OPTIONS
With the advancement of surgical techniques and anesthesia options, there are now several new surgical techniques that can be performed with the horse in a standing and sedated position as oppose to traditional general anesthesia. Two exciting examples of this are the procedure to relieve chronic back pain from kissing spine syndrome and the procedure to open the airway through tying back the lazy side of the larynx that occurs in some racehorses and draft horses. With the development of these techniques, Dr. Bell is now able to offer both procedures via the standing option. If you are interested in learning more about these procedure, please contact us for further details and to book a consultative appointment
We can offer standing procedures for the treatment and management of several upper airway surgical conditions.
1. Sternothyroideus tenectomy (Cutting the strap muscles) - this procedure is performed to assist with the prevention of recurrent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (aka "flipping the palate" or "swallowing the tongue"). Dr. Bell can perform this procedure without the need for traditional general anesthesia while the horse is standing and sedated in a set of stocks at the hospital. This allows for a much quieter procedure and minimizes risk to the horse from general anesthesia recovery.
2. Prosthetic Laryngoplasty (Tie-Back) - this procedure is performed to correct a paralyzed larynx (most commonly paralyzed on the left side). This procedure usually requires general anesthesia to perform, however, Dr. Bell is now performing tie backs on draft horses under standing sedation. Other horses may also be elective candidates for standing tie-back as well. By performing this complicated procedure standing, the risks to the horse are dramatically less compared to general anesthesia in draft breed horses. This technique greatly reduces risks during anesthesia and decreases complications post operatively.
Dr. Bell is available to discuss these options and encourages those interested in having either procedure performed to give us a call for consultation.
EXCITING NEWS The wait is over !
Elder’s Equine Corner is a dedicated resource for horse owners and caregivers, providing valuable information and insights to support the health and well-being of your equine companions.