Simini Surgery Review: Equine Edition

Veterinary Surgery Deep Dive: Equine Ortho & Soft Tissue — January 2026 Edition

Simini Podcasts Season 1 Episode 14

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In this episode of the Simini Equine Surgery Podcast, we explore the orthopedic and soft tissue research from the January 2026 issue (Issue 1) of Veterinary Surgery, where three innovative studies challenge long-standing approaches to some of the most difficult conditions in equine surgery. Together, they ask an important question: Can smarter surgical techniques improve outcomes while reducing patient risk? 

From salvaging severe chronic laminitis, to performing subtotal nasal septum excision under standing sedation, and investigating a novel treatment for dorsal nasopharyngeal collapse, these studies highlight how careful biomechanical thinking and minimally invasive approaches continue to reshape equine surgery.

In this episode:

Hargitaiova et al. evaluated a modified high metacarpal deep digital flexor tenotomy combined with Steward Clog shoeing for horses with chronic, refractory laminitis. By transecting the deep digital flexor tendon proximal to the accessory ligament, the technique unloads the distal phalanx while preserving passive restraint of the distal interphalangeal joint. Among 15 horses and ponies (26 limbs), only one limb developed distal interphalangeal joint subluxation (4%), while long-term survival reached 43% in horses and 50% in ponies despite the severity of disease. The study demonstrates that preserving the accessory ligament, together with immediate orthotic support, can successfully realign the distal phalanx while minimizing joint instability in cases where traditional options have failed. 

Brink et al. described a standing technique for subtotal nasal septum excision using sedation, regional anesthesia, and obstetrical wire transection. Among 12 horses, 11 returned to their intended athletic use, including racehorses, while surgeons reported less intraoperative hemorrhage than is typically encountered under general anesthesia. The paper emphasizes two key technical principles: meticulous ethmoidal nerve blockade to ensure patient comfort, and creating the caudal septal cut at an angle of 60 degrees or greater to prevent postoperative airway obstruction as the septal stump heals. The findings suggest that many complex sinonasal procedures may be safely performed standing, reducing anesthetic risk while maintaining excellent long-term outcomes. 

Jeong et al. investigated transendoscopic laser fenestration of the dorsal pharyngeal recess as a treatment for dorsal nasopharyngeal collapse (NPC). Using an experimental model of bilateral glossopharyngeal neurectomy, the authors found that creating a permanent communication with the guttural pouches failed to improve respiratory performance. In fact, airflow diversion into the guttural pouches appeared to worsen inspiratory airflow in experimentally induced disease. Interestingly, a single horse with naturally occurring NPC demonstrated improved exercise performance following surgery, suggesting that although the technique is ineffective for severe neurogenic collapse, it may still warrant investigation in naturally occurring, less severe cases. 

Together, these studies demonstrate that innovation in equine surgery is not simply about developing new procedures—it is about understanding biomechanics, respecting anatomy, and carefully validating new techniques before they become standard practice.

🎓 Journal Articles Discussed

  • Hargitaiova et al.High-metacarpal deep digital flexor tenotomy and Steward clog shoeing for managing chronic refractory laminitis: A retrospective clinical study
  • Brink et al.Standing excision of the nasal septum of 12 horses
  • Jeong et al.Laser fenestration of the dorsal pharyngeal recess does not correct experimentally induced dorsal nasopharyngeal collapse in horses

📚 From the January 2026 Issue (Issue 1) of Veterinary Surgery

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SPEAKER_01

Hi, I'm Carl Damiani, and this is the Simene Equine Surgery Podcast, your fast, focused update on what matters most from the latest equine surgical literature. In each episode, we break down key articles from the veterinary journals and translate them into surgical insight you can use today, not someday. This episode covers the orthopedic and soft tissue section from the January 2026 issue of Veterinary Surgery, featuring three studies that explore innovative approaches to some of the most challenging orthopedic and upper airway conditions in horses. First, we'll review Hargatiova et al. who evaluate a modified high metacarpal deep digital flexor tenotomy combined with steward clog shoeing for horses with chronic refractory laminitis. The study examines whether preserving the accessory ligament while unloading the deep digital flexor tendon can improve distal phalanx realignment, maintain distal interphalangeal joint stability, and ultimately improve outcomes in horses with severe laminitis. Next, Brinketal describe a standing technique for subtotal nasal septum excision in horses affected by nasal septal disease. By performing this complex procedure understanding sedation and regional anesthesia, the authors investigate whether surgeons can safely avoid general anesthesia while achieving good long-term respiratory function and athletic outcomes. Finally, we'll examine Zhang et al, who investigate laser fenestration of the dorsal pharyngeal recess as a potential treatment for dorsal nasopharyngeal collapse. Using an experimental model, they quantify the respiratory effects of nasopharyngeal collapse and determine whether creating a permanent communication with the guttural pouches can restore airway function and improve exercise performance. Three studies. One common theme: challenging conventional approaches with innovative surgical techniques and carefully testing whether new procedures truly improve equine patient outcomes. Let's dive in.

SPEAKER_00

You're in the OR,

Hargitaiova et al. Study: Evaluating a Modified High Metacarpal Deep Digital Flexor Tenotomy and Clog Shoeing for Chronic Refractory Laminitis.

SPEAKER_00

staring down a sinking P3 bone in a case of refractory grade four laminitis. Conservative management has failed. And, you know, you can't just walk away.

SPEAKER_03

Right. You're pretty much out of the standard options at that point.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. You have to rebuild the foundation while a thousand pounds of horse is still actively crushing it. Welcome to the deep dive. Our mission today is delivering the fast, clinically actionable surgical intelligence you can use tomorrow to tackle exactly this scenario.

SPEAKER_03

It really is the ultimate mechanical salvage situation. Today we're pulling our insights from a new retrospective study, Hargitaiova et al. 2026.

SPEAKER_00

Aaron Powell Okay, so what's the core issue they're looking at?

SPEAKER_03

Well, they're tackling a familiar problem. Basically, using a DDFT as a salvage procedure to relieve the massive tension pulling on that sinking P3. Right. The issue, of course, is

Accessory Ligament Preservation: Explaining the clinical punchline of cutting proximal to the accessory ligament (ALDDFT) to unload the tendon while retaining passive joint support.

SPEAKER_03

that traditional mid-metacarpal or uh pasttern-level transactions frequently result in DIPJ instability.

SPEAKER_00

Trevor Burrus, Jr.: Yeah, the joint just loses its support entirely. So the clinical shift in this paper is fundamentally about where you actually make that cut, right?

SPEAKER_03

Exactly. The clinical punchline here is that they demonstrate performing a high metacarpal tonotomy proximal to the accessory ligament.

SPEAKER_00

The ALDDFT.

SPEAKER_03

Right. The ALDDFT. They intentionally preserve that ligament to maintain passive joint restraint.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so it's almost like a well, like a suspension bridge. We're cutting the main tension cable so the deck stops pulling itself apart.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, that's a great analogy.

SPEAKER_00

But we're strategically leaving the secondary stabilizing wires intact so the whole thing doesn't just flip. Wait, though. Yeah. If we're relying on those secondary wires, won't that preserved ligament just rupture under the horse's full weight once the DDFT is cut? I mean, does it actually hold up?

SPEAKER_03

You'd definitely think it would fail, but it's all about how the altered geometry distributes the load. By cutting proximal to the ALDDFT, you're releasing the active muscular pull.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

But you're leaving the passive viscoelastic check mechanism intact. The ligament doesn't take the full brunt dynamically, it just acts as a static tether.

SPEAKER_00

And that tether is enough to stabilize things.

SPEAKER_03

It is, which is enough to prevent the joint from subluxating. And the data actually backs this up beautifully. Out of 15 severely affected horses and ponies, they saw only a 4% incidence of DIPJ subluxation.

SPEAKER_00

Wow, wait, 4%? So that's what is that just one joint out of 26 limbs?

SPEAKER_03

Yes, exactly one.

SPEAKER_00

That's incredibly impressive mechanical stability. What did that mean for the patient's long term, though?

SPEAKER_03

Well, 24 months, survival was 43% in horses and 50% in ponies. Keep in mind these are highly severe cases.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, for animals that are often facing euthanasia, those are massive numbers. But the surgical release is really only half the equation here, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03

Correct. You still have to support that newly altered geometry immediately. It's a coupled mechanical solution.

SPEAKER_00

Aaron Powell Because if you let them bear weight without support, you lose all that alignment.

SPEAKER_03

Precisely. The success relied heavily on instantly applying customized steward clogs right there in the OR.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, right in the OR.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. Using a wooden base and soft impression putty, they provide immediate orthotic offloading, basically locking in that new anatomical reality before the horse even wakes up and bears weight.

SPEAKER_00

Makes total sense. So you've restabilized the mechanics with the clogs, but I mean you're

Simini Protect Lavage Study: Addressing standard saline's 42% bacterial remainder vs. the 0% baseline achieved by a 60-second surfactant rinse at closure to protect high-stakes salvage fields.

SPEAKER_00

operating on heavily compromised, highly stressed tissue.

SPEAKER_03

Always a huge concern in salvage cases.

SPEAKER_00

Right, because if that surgical site gets infected, the structural fix doesn't matter. You're back to square one.

SPEAKER_03

Or worse, honestly. Which brings our closure protocols right under the microscope. We uh we rely heavily on standard saline irrigation.

SPEAKER_00

Which leaves a massive blind spot.

SPEAKER_03

It does. Independent head-to-head study shows saline leaves 42% of bacteria behind.

SPEAKER_00

42%. Leaving nearly half the bacteria behind in a high-stake salvage case is terrifying. So how does Seminy Protect Lavage alter that?

SPEAKER_03

It completely eliminates that 42% delta. Yes. Semony leaves 0% of bacteria behind. Right. It acts as a non-antibiotic lavage that clears out exactly what saline misses, and it actually reinforces the closure protocol in under 60 seconds.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, so it doesn't disrupt the existing workflow at all?

SPEAKER_03

Not at all.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so for the surgeons listening, what is the actionable take-home message from today's deep dive?

SPEAKER_03

Simply put, for refractory cases, preserving the ALDDFT during a high metacarpal tenotomy and pairing that with immediate steward clog support successfully realigns the P3 while actively preventing joint subluxation.

SPEAKER_00

Fantastic. And as always, the full article link is waiting for you in the show notes. You can dig into the specifics.

SPEAKER_03

It's definitely worth reviewing the exact geometry they used.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely. But before we leave you today, consider this. If targeted tendon release and immediate mechanical offloading can salvage such severe structural collapse, how might advanced dynamic orthotics eventually reshape our earliest interventions for endocrine associated laminitis, you know, before that structural failure even begins.

SPEAKER_03

It really makes you wonder if we can stay ahead of the mechanics entirely.

SPEAKER_00

Right. Catch the shift before the foundation ever starts to sore another relevant study.

SPEAKER_03

We're looking at

Brink et al. Study: Describing a Standing Technique for Subtotal Nasal Septum Excision under Sedation and Regional Anesthesia.

SPEAKER_03

a recent paper, Brink et al.

SPEAKER_00

Ah, yes, excising a horse's nasal septum.

SPEAKER_03

Exactly. Traditionally, this requires general anesthesia, which we all know means expensive bills, significant risks, and frankly, a notoriously bloody surgical field. So, okay, let's unpack this. Is a standing approach genuinely feasible for a busy surgeon?

SPEAKER_00

It absolutely is. I mean, the data from Brink et al. 2026 really backs it up. They ran this retrospective study on 12 horses undergoing standing nasal septum excision.

SPEAKER_03

Just 12 horses.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, 12 cases. But the results are very revealing. The surgical team just used sedation combined with uh topical, local, and regional anesthesia.

SPEAKER_03

Aaron Powell Okay, so no general at all.

SPEAKER_00

None. And the core finding is that making the septal cuts with strategically placed obstetrical wire isn't just viable while they're standing, it's actually highly effective.

SPEAKER_03

Aaron Powell Now wait a minute. I have to push back here.

SPEAKER_00

Aaron Powell Sure, go ahead.

SPEAKER_03

Routing wires through a conscious horse's head, like I said earlier, really does sound like a high-stakes anatomical

Gravity Hemorrhage Control: How a standing posture lowers sinonasal venous pooling pressure to keep the field subjectively cleaner than standard recumbent approaches.

SPEAKER_03

tug of war. And wouldn't a standing horse bleed excessively from a major cyanonasal excision?

SPEAKER_00

That is the main concern, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Right. I think that would just completely compromise your surgical field.

SPEAKER_00

Aaron Powell Well, you'd think so, right. But the authors actually found the exact opposite.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. The intraoperative hemorrhage was subjectively less than what you typically observe when you do the exact same surgery on a recumbent horse.

SPEAKER_03

Less bleeding. How does that work mechanically?

SPEAKER_00

Think about venous pressure. When a horse is under general anesthesia and recumbent, you get increased venous pooling, right? Ah, so higher blood pressure in the head.

SPEAKER_03

Exactly. But by keeping them standing, gravity actually works in your favor. It naturally lowers that venous pressure, which keeps the surgical field surprisingly clear.

SPEAKER_00

Wow.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, in fact, they easily control the bleeding just by packing the nasal cavity with rolled gauze.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so gravity does the heavy lifting for hemorrhage control. That is a massive operational win for you guys.

SPEAKER_03

It's a huge win for sure.

SPEAKER_00

Getting through the surgery cleanly is great, but getting these performance animals back to work is the real test. And the data here, I mean, 11 out of 12 returning to their full intended use is incredible.

SPEAKER_03

It really is, especially considering some more severely compromised racehorses that successfully went back to the track.

SPEAKER_00

Right. But we have to address the elephant in the room. The paper notes one mortality.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, it does.

SPEAKER_00

Looking at the data, it seems this wasn't actually a failure of the standing technique itself, but um an anesthesia complication. They suspected a subrachnoid injection, right? Exactly. And what's fascinating here is how that single mortality heavily underscores the mechanics of regional anesthesia.

SPEAKER_03

How so?

SPEAKER_00

Well, an inadvertent subrachnoid injection during a maxillary nerve block led to severe central nervous system complications. It's a tragic but vital reminder about the critical importance of precision with these regional blocks.

SPEAKER_03

That makes sense.

SPEAKER_00

Furthermore, just relying on the maxillary block isn't enough.

SPEAKER_03

Aaron Powell Because if the horse startles when you make that first incision, you've got a major problem on your hands.

SPEAKER_00

Precisely. To prevent any startled or painful reactions, surgeons have to remember to meticulously block the ethmoidal nerves as well. Complete patient comfort is completely non-negotiable when they are standing.

SPEAKER_03

Right. Because any movement throws off the actual cut. Yeah. And the cut itself is where this can all go wrong long term.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03

Even with perfect anesthesia, if the remaining edge of that septum heals poorly and blocks the airway, you've completely failed a performance animal. So what does this all mean for the actual

Caudal Cut Sixty-Degree Angulation: Directing a dorsorostral to ventrocaudal wire trajectory via laryngotomy to angle the stump safely out of the airway space

SPEAKER_03

cut? How do they avoid postoperative airway obstruction?

SPEAKER_00

Well, that brings us to the crucial procedural nuance of the paper. As the incised edge of the septum heals, the tissue naturally thickens.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, I follow you.

SPEAKER_00

So if you cut it straight across, that thickened stump can obstruct the nasal conchae. To prevent this, the caudal cut has to be angled at 60 degrees or more.

SPEAKER_03

Ah, so that specific angle dictates the anatomy of the heel tissue?

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_03

It ensures the thickened stump rests safely out of the airway, like tucked back within the nasopharynx.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. You want it out of the way.

SPEAKER_03

But practically speaking, how on earth are surgeons achieving a precise 60-degree angle deep in the nasal cavity of a standing horse?

SPEAKER_00

Aaron Powell It requires a very specific approach. The optimal method they described is creating that caudal cut in a dorserostral to ventricodal direction.

SPEAKER_03

Say that three times SAS.

SPEAKER_00

Right. But to actually achieve that angle, they route the obstetrical wire through a laryngotomy, and then they perform the cut while the horse's head and neck are extended.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, let's synthesize this for the surgeon listening right now who might have a septum resection on their books for next week. What are the absolute non-negotiables they need to take away from this paper?

SPEAKER_00

Here is the clinical punchline for your practice. Standing nasal septum excision effectively eliminates the expense and severe risks of general anesthesia, provided you strictly adhere to two steps.

SPEAKER_03

First step.

SPEAKER_00

First, meticulously block the ethmoidal nerves to guarantee complete patient comfort.

SPEAKER_03

And the second step.

SPEAKER_00

Second, properly angle your caudal cut, ideally through a larinotomy, to guarantee long-term airway patency.

SPEAKER_03

Fantastic. Well, thank you for joining us for this deep dive. We want to leave you with a final thought to mull over before your next case.

SPEAKER_01

Definitely.

SPEAKER_03

If standing surgery is this effective and ironically cleaner for a historically bloody major procedure like a septum resection. Wait, let me rephrase that. If it's this effective, what other traditionally recumbent cyanasal procedures are we currently overcomplicating the OR?

SPEAKER_02

Now let's take a look at what the next paper shows us.

Jeong et al. (Zhong et al.) Study: Laser Fenestration of the Dorsal Pharyngeal Recess for Dorsal Nasopharyngeal Collapse (NPC).

SPEAKER_00

Right. No, it's definitely not.

SPEAKER_03

I mean, it's like trying to run a marathon while breathing through a wet paper straw that just, you know, keeps napping shut.

SPEAKER_00

That's a great way to put it. It's this dynamic self-worsening vacuum, right as their oxygen demand peaks.

SPEAKER_03

Exactly. So if you are an equine veterinary surgeon, we are extracting actionable surgical intelligence today, specifically for your clinical decision making. We're looking at Zhang et al. 2025. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_00

Right. And because waiting for horses to naturally develop severe NPC mixed for a well, a really slow study, Zhang and the team had to artificially engineer the condition.

SPEAKER_03

Aaron Powell Okay, let's unpack this. How did they actually do that? I mean, did they just sever the nerve to force the collapse?

SPEAKER_00

They did, yeah. It's a rigorous study design using six adult standard breads.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

And for five of them, they experimentally induced um moderate to severe dorsal NPC.

SPEAKER_03

Aaron Powell through a bilateral glossopharyngeal neurectomy, right?

SPEAKER_00

Right. Exactly. By completely transecting the motor innervation to the pharyngeal roof, they created this uh standardized absolute failure of that anatomy.

SPEAKER_03

Aaron Powell And the whole

Airflow Diversion and Ballooning Failure: Why salpingopharyngostomy failed to restore experimental metrics, actively worsening peak inspiratory flow via dynamic guttural pouch ballooning dynamics.

SPEAKER_03

goal here was to test a surgical fix, a um transendoscopic laser fenestration of the dorsal pharyngeal recess.

SPEAKER_00

Right, a salping pharyngostomy.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. So anatomically speaking, they're targeting the guttural pouches because you know opening that space should theoretically act as a pressure equalizer between the nasopharynx and the guttural pouches.

SPEAKER_00

You got it. You're trying to break that dynamic vacuum by giving the pressure somewhere else to go.

SPEAKER_03

Aaron Powell It makes total sense on paper. But if we look at the postoperative data, did the anatomical theory actually hold up in vivo?

SPEAKER_00

Well, what's fascinating here is uh it didn't.

SPEAKER_03

Wait, really? No improvement at all?

SPEAKER_00

No, the surgery fundamentally failed to improve respiratory performance in those experimentally induced horses.

SPEAKER_03

Aaron Powell If the physics makes sense theoretically, what actually failed in the anatomy? Let's look at the numbers.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, let's look at the clinical impact. So after induction, the mean VO2 max plummeted from 204.7 down to 141.2 milliliters per kilogram per minute.

SPEAKER_03

Wow, that's a huge drop. And post-surgery?

SPEAKER_00

It stayed exactly at 141.2. It didn't budge.

SPEAKER_03

Completely flat.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. And even worse, peak inspiratory flow actually suffered a drop post-fenestration, down to 91.0 liters per second.

SPEAKER_03

Wait, it went down.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Statistically significant to a p-value of 0.03.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, I have to push back on the physics of that airway then. If they made a hole specifically to equalize pressure and relieve the vacuum, why did inspiratory flow actually get worse?

SPEAKER_00

It comes down to airflow diversion. But creating that fenestration,

The Naturally Occurring Outlier: Contrasting flat experimental results against a single naturally occurring NPC case that experienced subjective performance and VO2 max increases.

SPEAKER_00

a portion of the airflow during peak inspiration was diverted directly into the guttural pouches.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, like a ballooning effect.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. The pouches fill up with air, they push down, and that just exacerbates the collapse of the pharyngeal roof instead of relieving it.

SPEAKER_03

That ballooning effect is such a crucial mechanical detail. But here's where it gets really interesting. Looking through the data cohort, you mentioned five horses were experimentally induced. Right.

SPEAKER_00

But the study used six horses total. That sixth horse wasn't experimentally induced, right? It had naturally occurring NPC.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, and that is the crucial nuance of this entire paper. For that single naturally occurring case, the surgery had the exact opposite effect.

SPEAKER_00

The VO2 max actually increased in it.

SPEAKER_03

It did, from 208.9 up to 221.8 post-surgery, which showed a subjective improvement.

SPEAKER_00

Why such a drastic difference? Is it just that um naturally occurring NPC doesn't mimic the blunt force trauma of a complete nerve transaction?

SPEAKER_03

That is the leading theory, yeah. A complete bilateral neurectomy creates this severe absolute flaccidity. The ballooning guttural pouches easily overpower it.

SPEAKER_00

Right, there's no resistance.

SPEAKER_03

Exactly. But in a naturally occurring case, the pathology is often milder or at least more progressive. The horse might still have some residual muscle tone.

SPEAKER_00

Which allows the pressure equalization to actually do its job without the roof entirely caving in.

SPEAKER_03

Spot on.

SPEAKER_00

So if you're an equine surgeon scrubbing in tomorrow for a horse with severe neurogenic NPC, what's the ultimate takeaway? The takeaway is that this experimental model does not support clinical application of laser cell pingophoryngostomy for severe, complete neurogenic NPC.

SPEAKER_03

So your surgical approach tomorrow doesn't change?

SPEAKER_00

Right. It doesn't. However, because of that one natural outlier, you shouldn't write the technique off completely for milder, naturally occurring cases?

SPEAKER_03

Aaron Powell A great reminder that not all pathology is created equal. You know, the mechanics of the airway are just incredibly unforgiving. Thank you for joining us on this deep dive.

SPEAKER_00

Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_03

But as you head out to your practice today, consider this. The neurectomy created a complete irreversible nerve transection. Could the severe nature of our perfect experimental models actually be masking the potential benefits of surgeries designed for the nuanced progressive reality of natural disease?

SPEAKER_00

It's definitely something to mull over before your next case.

SPEAKER_02

Our interoperative lavage developed to target resistant bacteria and biofilms where traditional solutions of saline and post op antibiotics fall short. If you're interested in learning more or trying out your own procedures, you'll find information and links in the show notes. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you in the next episode.