The laryngeal tie-forward procedure to alleviate aspiration of feed caused by hypoplasia of the soft palate of an adult mare

Background An adult mare, presented to the University of Tennessee’s Veterinary MedicalCenter because of chronic, persistent coughing and abnormal respiratory noise,was found, during endoscopic examination of its nasopharynx and larynx, to havehypoplasia of the caudal fourth of its soft palate and an aryepiglottic fold entrapment.The mare had developed chronic discharge of feed from the nares after the aryepiglotticfold entrapment was relieved with a laser, using endoscopic guidance. Methods The mare received a laryngeal tie forward procedure to ameliorate discharge of feedfrom the nares by decreasing the gap between the apex of the epiglottis and thesoft palate. Results The distance between the epiglottis and the soft palate appeared to have beenreduced during endoscopic examination of the nasopharynx, and the horse nolonger experienced discharge of feed from the nares or persistent coughing. Thehorse continued to produce abnormal respiratory noise but was able to be usedfor trail riding. Discussion The tie-forward procedure should be considered as a treatment to ameliorate signs of hypoplastic soft palate in horses, if the palatal defect is short.