title: Thoracoscopic diaphragmatic hernia repair in a warmblood mare.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe successful repair of a diaphragmatic hernia in a standing sedated horse using a minimally invasive thoracoscopic technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical report.
  
  
  METHODS
  Warmblood mare with a diaphragmatic hernia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An 18-year-old Warmblood mare with severe colic was referred for surgical treatment of small intestinal strangulation in a diaphragmatic defect. Twelve days after initial conventional colic surgery, left-sided laparoscopy in the standing sedated mare for diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy failed because the spleen obscured the hernia. One week later, a left-sided thoracoscopy was performed in the standing sedated horse and the hernia repaired by an intrathoracic suture technique. No long-term complications occurred (up to 4 years) and the mare returned to her previous athletic activity, followed by use as a broodmare.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To avoid the high risks associated with general anesthesia, and to reduce surgical trauma and postoperative recovery, central diaphragmatic hernias are amenable to repair using a minimally invasive thoracoscopic technique in the standing sedated horse.
authors.affiliation: Tierärztliche Klinik Starnberg, Starnberg, Germany. mroecken@t‐online.de
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Röcken
authors.forename: Gesine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mosel
authors.forename: Katharine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Barske
authors.forename: Tanja S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Witte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006548:Hernia, Diaphragmatic / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006736:Horses