Scoping a horse's upper respiratory tract can be an expensive, but necessary procedure. Endoscopy uses a flexible tube with a camera to provide a view of the upper airway, larynx and guttural pouches. A closer look at these structures is often needed to determine why a horse is making a noise (roaring) or to examine the guttural pouches for infection.
Endoscopes have been in use for more than 40 years, but a cheaper alternative is now being investigated: a borescope. Often used to inspect the insides of engines and other small areas, a wide variety of borescopes are available and are often considerably cheaper than medical-grade endoscopes.
Dr. Zoe Neuchermans from Ghent University investigated the use of a borescope connected to a smartphone to examine the upper respiratory tract of horses. Neuchermans and her research team first inspected horses using a borescope and then with a flexible endoscope.
The team made digital recordings using both devices and showed them to an observer who didn't know which device made the recording. The scientists reported that borescope and endoscope grading scores for pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia, recurrent laryngeal neuropathy, and tracheal mucus were identical in nearly all cases. The only issue the team reported was the need to replace the borescope after 45 exams when the steering mechanism began failing and limiting the field of view.
The team concluded that a flexible, steerable borescope connected to a smartphone is a viable alternative for upper respiratory tract scoping in horses.
Read more at Equine Science Update.
The post Take A Look Under The Hood: An Unusual New Type Of Endoscope appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
