History, instrumentation, and techniques of flexible endoscopic laser surgery in horses.
There are clearly a number of applications for which flexible endoscopic laser surgery has become the state of the art in equine surgery, and the Nd:YAG laser seems to be the most versatile instrument for this type of surgery. Nevertheless, it is critical to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each laser technique. For example, the Nd:YAG laser used in a noncontact fashion seems to be superior when ablation of tissue is required such as treatment of upper airway masses. Conversely, contact Nd:YAG laser techniques have proven themselves to be superior when more precise cutting is advantageous such as treatment of epiglottic entrapment. Ultimately, it seems that a range of lasers is necessary to ensure selection of the most appropriate technique, adding significantly to the expense of equipment but improving the outcome for a range of equine diseases.
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, USA. Anthony_Blikslager@ncsu.edu
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D000818:Animals; D019723:Endoscopes / Q000266:history / Q000662:veterinary*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D052776:Female Urogenital Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D006736:Horses / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000266:history / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D052801:Male Urogenital Diseases; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D013522:Surgery, Veterinary / Q000266:history* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000266:history / Q000662:veterinary