Our surgical services include:

• Orthopaedic surgery
  • Arthrospcopy
  • Fracture repair
• Soft tissue surgery
  • Colic surgery
  • Upper respiratory tract surgery
  • Laparoscopy
• Anaesthesia
• Standing surgery

ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY

ARTHROSCOPY

One of the most common surgical procedures performed at the Rainbow equine hospital is Arthroscopy (Key Hole Surgery in joints). Arthroscopy has been developed over the past 20-30 years and is now the preferred method of treating chip fracture, OCD (osteochondrosis dissecans) and infections. A key hole technique is also used to evaluate and treat certain soft tissue injuries in tendon sheaths and bursae (Tenosocopy and Bursoscopy). Using a key hole technique results in greater success rates and reduces the risk of post operative complications.

FRACTURE REPAIR

Where once a horse with a broken leg was immediately destroyed it is now possible to repair fractures in certain cases. Fractures are repaired with the use of special metal implants and depending on the fracture the repair may be done under general anaesthesia or standing. We have the added ability to perform computed tomography of fractures to allow excellent pre-operative planning of the fracture repair.

SOFT TISSUE SURGERY

URT SURGERY

We perform a large number of upper respiratory tract surgeries in performance horse, including tie backs, tie forwards, soft palate cautery and epiglottic entrapment release. We also have the option for using a surgical LASER for treating certain conditions, this can often be done in the standing patient which reduces recovery time and reduces the risks associated with general anaesthesia

COLIC SURGERY

We regularly perform emergency colic surgery on horses referred to the hospital. With recent advances in techniques and post operative care there has been a dramatic increase in the post operative survival rates of horses following colic surgery , with the majority of patients being able to make a complete recovery and go on to a normal athletic career.

Further information about colic is available from the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital link.

LAPAROSCOPY

Laparoscopy is key hole surgery of the abdomen and has been developed to allow the removal of abdominally retained testicles (rigs) and the removal of abnormal ovaries in mares. The technique is also useful in the evaluation of chronic colic and other medical conditions of the abdomen and thorax.

ANAESTHESIA

All patients undergo a full clinical examination and if necessary undergo routine blood work prior to performing general anaesthesia. All general anaesthesia is performed one of our Veterinary surgeons. Horses are induced in one of the two padded induction rooms, before being moved into the theatre on an overhead hoist. Patients are monitored with ECG, Invasive blood pressure, SPO2 and blood gases during anaesthesia. Patients are moved to one of the padded recovery rooms for recovery from anaesthesia. We have an assisted recovery system in place for horses considered high risk e.g. after fracture repair.

STANDING SURGERY

Due to the increasing number of advanced standing surgical procedure carried out, we have refurbished one of our examination rooms as a standing surgery suite.  The room has been fitted with a non slip rubber floor and set of stocks with surgical lighting. This new facility enables us to perform some advanced procedures without worrying about compromising sterility.

There are a variety of new combinations of sedative and anaesthetic drugs which allow us to carry out advanced surgeries without the risks associated with general anaesthesia. The benefit of such procedures means that there is often less risk to the patient and a reduced recovery period post-operatively.

We are now routinely performing the following procedures standing;

• Eye removal and prosthesis
• Sinus surgery
• Oral extraction/repulsion of teeth
• Repair of selected fractures
• Laparoscopic ovariectomy and cryptorchidectomy
• Surgical resection of impinging DSPs (Kissing spines)
• Jugular vein thrombectomy
• Laser removal of sarcoids/melanoma
• Laser surgery of upper respiratory tract